Ratings out of Ten
by TwilightHayley
Summary: A continuation after the kiss from 'Flesh and Stone'. The Doctor and Amy attempt to adjust to the change in their relationship, as they continue their journey through Space and Time. But Danger is never too far away... 11/Amy AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N:** Hey :) *Sheepish Wave* This is my first Doctor Who piece, but it's not my first fanfiction story, so don't be put off :) The ideas for this story came to me after 'Flesh and Stone', but I waited to publish the first chapter because I wanted to see what 'Vampires in Venice' would be like. I liked it, but I didn't like the Rory/Amy moments. Blah :|

So, this is my version of what I wanted to happen after the kiss between 11/Amy. I'm not sure how many chapters there will be, but oh well :)

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Amy Pond used to believe the silence was her only friend. Spending most nights alone when she was a child became comforting to her, and usually she revelled in the tranquillity it gave her.

But not today.

Hovering silently by the TARDIS console, she craned her neck around it, intent on watching the Doctor. He was kneeling on the grated floor, surrounded by a knotted mess of green and gold cables.

It was her fault that the atmosphere between them was tense. She'd been the one who'd tried to seduce him, a move that had potentially killed her friendship with him.

Since they'd entered the TARDIS, he'd ordered her to stand as far away from him as possible, despite her protests that she wouldn't come onto him again.

And since he'd ordered her away, he'd been completely silent. He wasn't even muttering to himself as he played around with the mechanics of the TARDIS, a common, annoying habit of his.

That was a bad sign.

Yawning, Amy stretched her arms up over her head, and the Doctor glanced up momentarily as the small sound broke the silence. But then his eyes widened and he returned his gaze back to his work.

She happened to glance down at the floor then, arms still in the air, and noticed that her shirt had risen up, leaving her flat, toned stomach on display.

Blushing, she quickly lowered her arms to tug her shirt down, before sneaking a glance at the Doctor. His eyes were carefully trained on the wires, though his cheeks were slightly flushed too.

Amy couldn't help but sigh in exasperation at him; after all, this tension between them was completely unnecessary.

This time, the Doctor didn't look up at her sigh.

But Amy Pond never stayed quiet for long. "Doctor?"

His reply was instant. "No! Stay where you are! Don't even come near me!"

Amy had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. "I just want to ask you a question!" She remarked, trying to make her voice sound as innocent as possible.

The Doctor glanced up from his tangle of wires, and met her gaze warily. "As long as there is a distance of ten feet between us, you can ask whatever you like!"

His companion had to smirk at that. _Well in that case…_

"How would you rate our kiss out of ten?"

The Doctor, who had just reached under the main TARDIS console to gather his screwdriver that he'd somehow managed to drop, jumped at her question, forgetting that his head was underneath it.

Amy winced at the loud bang, but then had to stifle a giggle at the spluttered gallifreyan curse words coming from the Doctor.

He raised his head to meet her stare again, clutching his sore head with one hand.

Once she saw the genuine pain in his expression, her smile faded, and she took a step towards him. "Doctor, are you okay?"

He grimaced, and waved his free hand at her impatiently, making no attempt to reply.

Worried, Amy stepped forward again. "Doctor? Can I—"

"No!" He yelled shrilly, leaping to his feet, "Stay right where you are!"

Amy complied, and froze where she was. There was definitely less than ten feet between them, but she didn't think that the Doctor really cared much about the exact measurement.

After a few more minutes of them both standing in silence, Amy spoke again. "So, what do you think?"

The Doctor blinked at her in confusion. "About what?"

"Our kiss?" She prompted, wondering briefly if the Doctor had lost his memory from banging his head.

"Oh _that_!" He exclaimed, running his hand through his mop of brown hair, "Well…if we're talking a mark out of ten…then…" His voice trailed off, and he gazed at her, a slight frown on his face.

"Then what?" She demanded impatiently.

The Doctor's eyes gleamed with humour, and Amy was relieved to see his familiar, amused gaze. "I'd give you a six." He said finally.

Amy gasped at his answer. "A six?" She shrieked, staring at the Doctor incredulously, "I've never gotten below an eight, not even from the first man I ever kissed at a party!"

The Doctor shrugged, suddenly looking uninterested with the subject. "Well, you did force yourself onto me." He muttered, turning his eyes towards the TARDIS console as he started to play around with some of the buttons.

Amy began to walk towards him again, and this time the Doctor didn't warn her to stay back. "But…but…you enjoyed it!" She stuttered, pointing a finger at him accusingly. "You kissed me back!"

The Doctor shrugged again. "Mere confusion on my part. I wasn't exactly sure how to handle the situation at first."

Amy snorted. "Oh, really? So kissing me back was the solution to stop me, was it?"

He didn't reply, and Amy knew the conversation was over.

Shaking her head in disbelief, she headed for the TARDIS stairs, until the Doctor spoke up, making her pause.

"Why did you ask me that Amy?" He asked quietly, and she turned around slowly to face him, swallowing nervously at the intensity in his grey-green eyes.

"Because I always ask for feedback after I finish my shift as a Kissogram," She replied nonchalantly, "So it was only right of me to ask you for your opinion."

His face dropped slightly, and he abruptly turned his back on her. "Okay," He said shortly, "You can go now."

Amy was stung by his harsh dismissal. "Doctor, I'm sorry that I've upset you tonight!" She blurted out, her words tumbling together in a panic, "I know that you probably hate me, and want me out of the TARDIS, but I promise that I'll never, ever try that again."

At the Doctor's silence, she continued. "Please Doctor, look at me. I'm sorry. So sorry. I just—"

"Amy. Stop."

She paused in her tirade then, feeling her eyes widen as the Doctor turned to face her. His expression was unreadable, and he began to walk towards her.

He stopped just in front of her, so close that their chests were only a few inches apart. He raised his hands, and Amy could only watch in stunned amazement as he placed them gently on her cheeks.

Slowly, he bowed his head, and Amy closed her eyes as his lips brushed against hers softly.

Her reaction was instant; she twisted her fingers in his hair, securing his face to hers.

Suddenly all she could feel was the Doctor; his body as it moulded to hers, his fingertips as they traced her cheekbones lightly, his warmth, his heart…both of his hearts, their frantic heartbeats matching her own.

And then he pulled away, his hands falling away from her face, leaving Amy immediately craving his touch again.

"So, how would you rate _that_ kiss out of ten?" The Doctor asked cheekily, giving her a sly wink as he brushed past her, already racing up the stairs, leaving her frozen at the bottom of the stairwell.

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Chapter Two should be out shortly, depending on how much interest there is for this story :)

Hayley x


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC.

**A/N: **Whoa, the response to this story blew my mind :') Looks like there are plenty of Amy/11 lovers out there!

I replied to all of your reviews, except I couldn't reply to the anonymous ones, so thank you Sammie and Kara-Maii for your reviews :)

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The Doctor's hearts were thumping hurriedly with adrenaline as he ran through the corridors of the TARDIS, searching his large ship for his bedroom.

He threw a frantic glance over his shoulder, knowing that Amy would be running after him once she'd recovered from her shock.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he found his bedroom, and he threw himself into it, yelling, "Hide me!" to his beloved craft.

The TARDIS did what he said, and the door disappeared behind him.

The Doctor sank onto his bed and buried his face in his hands, wondering why on Earth he'd just kissed Amy Pond…again.

She absolutely fascinated him, puzzling him and amusing him all at the same time. He'd never met anyone quite like her.

_You've been a bad boy Doctor._

The Doctor flinched at the taunting from his TARDIS, and shook his head at her remark.

_I think that she's good for you._

This time, the Doctor had to say something. "She's not Rose." He stated flatly.

_I know. But maybe she's better for you._

"You can't say that! She's getting married in the morning!" He hissed.

_Only when you decide to take her home. Until then, she's yours._

The Doctor didn't like it when he felt a smile spread across his face. Quickly, he pursed his lips together.

_You know that she's yours. You wouldn't have run away into your bedroom if you didn't believe that fact._

The Doctor was baffled by that. "You can't be saying that I—"

_You're waiting for her on a bed Doctor. A bed._

Immediately, he sprang to his feet, asking the TARDIS to replace his bedroom door.

After his ship had chuckled at him, the door reappeared, and he threw it open hastily.

Maybe he could hide from Amy in the Library. That way, the TARDIS, and himself, wouldn't get the wrong idea.

But he crashed straight into Amy in the hallway.

"Amy! Star whales!" He found himself blurting out, "Must go and research!"

Spinning around, he bolted down the corridor, Amy hot on his heels.

"Doctor? Can you explain what just—"

"—You saved a star whale's life, and I didn't even get a chance to see it properly!" The Doctor continued, trying his hardest to ignore his companion. "That surely isn't right!"

"Doctor, will you just—"

"—and now I have to research this amazing creature from a book! A book Amelia! Can you—"

"—Don't call me Amelia!" Amy yelled, her voice harsh with frustration.

Her tone of voice was enough to pause the Doctor's rant. "Pardon?" He asked politely, turning around to face her, though he wished he hadn't when he saw her furious face.

"Amelia is a child's name. Don't call me that again!" She hissed through her gritted teeth.

"Well, you _are_ a child. Compared to me anyway!" The Doctor remarked playfully, "I'm 886 years older than you."

Amy clenched her hands into fists, and the scowl on her face deepened as she took a menacing step towards the Doctor. "Don't. Ever. Call. Me. A. Child!"

The Doctor began to back away from her immediately, fearing for his life for the first time in the company of a human.

"And if you think that I'm a child, then why the hell did you kiss me?" Amy demanded, and this time, the Doctor couldn't think of a witty joke or remark to avoid a straight answer.

So he decided to do something he always did…ramble about absolutely nothing.

"32nd century, most animalistic aliens have become extinct…heartreeps, sprinkybass, tisfizzles…but luckily for us, a showroom of them has just opened on Planet X5seep! They're all mechanical, of course, and the public aren't allowed to touch them. Bit rude really, seeing as you do have to pay an excessive fee just to stand in front of their cages and—"

"So it's like a Zoo?" Amy asked, interrupting him again, but this time the Doctor welcomed her interruption, as he'd successfully managed to distract her.

"A bit like one, yes. Though unfortunately, I haven't actually had the chance to visit an animal zoo on Planet Earth," The Doctor admitted regretfully, heading towards the control room of the TARDIS, "Been too busy to observe boring animals."

Amy managed to catch up with him, and they walked side by side. "Boring animals! How can you say that Doctor?"

A grin began to spread across the Doctor's face. "Easily!" He replied cheerfully, "All earth animals do is eat and sleep. I don't think they have laser vision or sonic powers!"

"Maybe you're right," Amy relented, which only added to the Doctor's sudden good mood.

"Naturally," He replied airily, which received an elbow in the ribs from Amy.

Once they'd reached the control room, the Doctor leaped down the stairs, nearly stumbling on the bottom step, and began to enter the destination code.

Amy perched on the edge of the console, preferring to watch the Doctor fly the TARDIS than help him out.

She began to drum her fingers on the edge of the console, and the Doctor swatted her hands as he brushed past her, disliking the agitated tapping.

Instead, Amy began to swing her legs, nearly kicking the Doctor as he rushed past her again. "Is it necessary to move a body part continuously whilst I fly the TARDIS?" He called to her over the roar of the ship's engines.

"Yep!" She grinned, though she stopped kicking her legs when she nearly knocked the Doctor over again. "So, are we heading to the alien zoo now?"

The Doctor nodded, grinning at her as he flicked some of the switches on the console. "Of course! You, me, and a horde of metal, extinct, animal aliens! What could be a better trip?"

Amy thought she heard a hidden meaning in his words, and she innocently asked; "Is this trip our first date?"

This time the Doctor _did_ fall over, and Amy watched in amazement as he fell onto the console, pushing a bunch of buttons and levers in the process.

Suddenly the TARDIS jolted sharply to the right, throwing both Amy and the Doctor to the floor.

"No! No! No!" The Doctor yelled, struggling to get to his feet whilst the TARDIS span out of control, "I'm too old for jail!"

"Jail?" Amy screeched, as she tried to pull herself up as well.

"I'm breaking the universal speed limit!" The Doctor cried, finally on his feet as he reached under the console to grab a hammer.

"What are you doing?" Amy hollered, gripping the console in an attempt to support herself as she stood up.

"I'm so sorry dear!" The Doctor murmured, patting the console lovingly, an action that would have made Amy giggle, if not for the potentially dangerous situation they were in.

The Doctor picked up the hammer, snapped his eyes shut, and slammed the weapon down on the console.

A loud alarm began to ring, and Amy had to take her hands off of the console to hold them over her ears, falling back to the floor again.

Red lights began to flash as well, but they didn't seem to faze the Doctor as he continued to hit the TARDIS with the hammer.

Sparks started shooting out of the console, one catching on the Doctor's tweed jacket, causing it to ignite.

Letting out a strangled scream, the Doctor began to hop around the TARDIS, attempting to put the flame out with his hands.

Seeing the Doctor in trouble gave Amy renewed strength, and she leapt to her feet, racing over to the TARDIS stairwell, where she knew there was a fire extinguisher. She smashed the glass easily, and grabbed it from the broken case.

"Hurry Amy!" The Doctor cried over the sirens, "I don't want to lose this jacket! I've grown rather fond of it!"

Amy quickly rushed over to him, and pulled the latch on the extinguisher, shooting foam all over the Doctor.

"The fire's gone!" He cheered, giving Amy a quick, soapy kiss on the forehead before running back to the console.

"How are we going to stop the TARDIS?" She shrieked, throwing the extinguisher to the side.

Big mistake.

The extinguisher hit the wall, and the top of it came off, exploding foam everywhere. Amy and the Doctor once again found themselves on the floor, knocked over from the force of the blast.

After the Doctor had spat out some foam from his mouth, he replied, "I don't need to stop it, it's slowing down now!"

Sure enough, the TARDIS had stopped convulsing, and the alarms were fading out. Amy hadn't noticed that the flashing lights had stopped after she'd extinguished the flame.

Once the TARDIS had come to a complete standstill, the Doctor and Amy sat up slowly, gazing at the foam-covered room.

The Doctor turned his head to grin happily at Amy, already over the danger of the past few minutes.

"Amy, I think you need to find a mop!"

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Thanks for reading :D

Hayley x


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC.

**A/N: Who saw the last two episodes of Doctor Who? I didn't like Amy's Choice very much because Amy chose the wrong man. I can't believe she didn't choose the Doctor! **

**I'm going to include a storyline similar to 'Amy's Choice' in this story, but it will have no Rory ;)**

**Sorry that I haven't replied to reviews; my Internet has been playing around so I couldn't get online. But here's a shoutout to Red red red ribbon, Willow-Ginerva-Alice, gina-and-the-fireworks, JuliaAurelia, doctorwho romance, Wonderfalling, Sarcasm-the Lowest Form of Wit and xoxtruegryfinndorxox….thanks for reviewing :D**

"Amy, I think you need to find a mop!"

Amy rolled her eyes at the Doctor before replying. "No, I think _you_ need to tell me if the trip to the alien zoo is a date."

To her surprise, the Doctor began to laugh. "Oh Amy Pond, there is no placating you, is there? Not even a crashing TARDIS can stop you from asking your original question, the one that set off this catastrophe!" He finished his speech by throwing some foam at her.

Amy retaliated by throwing some back. "Only you can stop me Doctor."

She'd intended her remark to be a joke, but the Doctor wasn't laughing anymore. "I know, and that's what scares me." He whispered, lowering his eyes to his foam-covered lap.

Amy's body stiffened, and suddenly she couldn't speak. Instead, she reached her hand into the foam to take the Doctor's hand.

She'd expected the Doctor to squeeze her hand and then let go, so she gasped quietly when she felt the Doctor entwine his fingers with hers, unable to disguise her surprise.

Their eyes locked, and both were unable to look away.

They sat there in the foam, holding hands, gazing at each other, both waiting for the other to speak.

Amy silently wished for the Doctor to begin rambling again, something he did when he was nervous, but he was waiting for her to break the silence.

After a few more minutes of silence, she spoke. "So, should I go and find that mop Doctor?" She asked him softly, pulling her hand away from his.

He jumped slightly, blinking, before nodding at her. "Okay, I'll help you find one," He replied, taking her hand again to help her to her feet.

But as soon as they were standing, the foam began to melt into the floor, disappearing within seconds. Amy shot the Doctor a confused look, feeling even more perplexed when he started laughing.

"Looks like my TARDIS couldn't bear to be wet for much longer, so she took matters into her own hands," He chuckled, patting the console fondly with his free hand, "Thank you darling."

A giggle slipped out of Amy's pursed lips; she never could get over the Doctor's affection for his beloved ship.

"Don't laugh at me Miss Pond," The Doctor scolded her playfully as he pulled her towards the staircase, "The TARDIS is the closest thing I have to a wife."

"And what am I then?" Amy challenged. "A sitting duck?"

"I haven't thought of a term for you yet, but I'm working on it." The Doctor told her, tapping his head as they ascended.

"Make it a good one," Amy grumbled, and the Doctor kissed the top of her head.

"I wouldn't dare to make it a bad one!" He laughed as he opened one of the doors in the corridor. "Now, I think we had best get changed out of these clothes, don't you?"

Amy agreed, eyeing his drenched tweed jacket. And then she saw something that would make the Doctor freak out. "Uh…Doctor? You might want to get a new jacket."

The Doctor frowned in confusion, before gazing down at his tweed jacket. When he saw a burnt hole on the right pocket, he let out a howl, tearing his hand away from Amy's.

"No! Why did you have to do that?" He wailed to his favourite garment, taking it off and throwing it on the floor, "Now I can't accessorise properly! Why do you have to ruin my existence? Why?"

During the Doctor's rant, Amy picked up the jacket and took it over to the corner, where the TARDIS had conveniently placed a sewing machine. Picking up her dotty shirt, she took a pair of scissors and cut out a square, a shape just big enough to cover the hole.

"—and now nothing goes with bow ties! Nothing! I'm going to have to travel to Planet Gatavia to find a similar replica of that jacket! Last time I went there, a giant fish tried to steal my TARDIS! A fish! A frickin' fish! Do you know how—"

Amy tuned out the Doctor's rant again, wondering if he was talking to himself, or to her, or to the jacket. It only took her a few minutes to patch up the hole, and she admired her work after she'd finished. The tweed jacket looked good, despite the green and white dotted hole. She knew that the Doctor would like it; after all, he did own a green and white dotted bow tie.

Amy picked up the jacket and walked back to the Doctor, who was now ranting to his clothes, hitting them at random intervals. "—and there is absolutely no way that I am going to wear nine's leather jacket with a bow tie. Honestly! I don't even know why I even wore that hideous article of clothing! And ten's knee-length jacket was probably worse, how on Earth could—"

"Doctor? I have something for you!" Amy interrupted cheerfully, holding out the tweed jacket.

"For the love of Jupiter and its sixteen moons, it's fixed!" The Doctor cheered, beaming at his companion, "Amy Pond, I have finally thought of your nickname! You're the Guardian of Tweed Jackets."

Although Amy was glad that she had cheered him up, she wasn't particularly fond of her nickname. "No thanks doctor, I only fixed the jacket to make you happy again. There is no way that makes me the guardian of that ugly item."

The Doctor blinked at her. "Ugly? Did I hear you correctly?"

"You did, it _is _ugly!" Amy paused when she saw the scowl return to the Doctor's face, "But it could never look ugly on you! You carry it off in a very…charming way."

The beam returned. "Of course I do!" He bragged; tossing the jacket onto a heater that had also conveniently appeared. "And okay…maybe I should call you…the Guardian of my Happiness. How's that?"

Amy liked that name better. "I love it. Makes me sound important." She didn't add that she liked it because it linked her to the Doctor.

The Doctor laughed, and to Amy's surprise, started stripping right in front of her.

When the Doctor saw Amy's blush, he grinned knowingly. "Turn around if it embarrasses you," He chuckled; quoting from the second time he met her.

"Where have I heard that before?" Amy teased, as she began to change as well. "You know that it doesn't embarrass me. Nothing does."

"I bet I can find something that does!" The Doctor told her, pulling on a light-pinstriped shirt.

"Is that a bet?" Amy asked, reaching into the wardrobe to take out her favourite mini skirt.

"That is a bet," The Doctor replied smugly, yanking on his green braces, "You know that I can never resist a good bet."

"So what's the prize?"

The Doctor was quiet as he thought for an answer. "I'm not sure…I'll think of one though."

"I have one already. Whoever wins the bet gets to choose where we go next."

The Doctor let out a grumble at that; he had always chosen their destination. "Fine," He relented, "But it needs my approval first. Deal?"

"Deal."

**Next few chapters will be the trip to the alien zoo. Will the Doctor and Amy find romance again? **

**We'll see ;)**

**Hayley x**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **So glad you're enjoying the story :) Thank you for all of your reviews, and I replied to all of them :) This chapter's quite short, but I'm already working on the next chapter which should be up in a couple of days.

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After Amy and the Doctor had finished getting ready, they hurried back to the TARDIS console room, both eager to leave the ship and start their adventure.

"I hope you haven't parked the TARDIS in the middle of an alien animal cage," Amy muttered to the Doctor, "I really don't fancy running away from a mechanical alien, thank you very much."

"But that's always the fun part!" The Doctor replied enthusiastically, hopping out of the TARDIS, "You can't tell me that—oh bugger it, we've landed normally."

"Your version of 'normal' is different to mine." Amy said dryly, following him out of the ship.

She was surprised to find that the Doctor was indeed right; the TARDIS was parked right outside the entrance of the zoo.

"Well, half of the excitement has vanished already!" The Doctor remarked gloomily as they walked through the entrance, "You know, I was really looking forward to—Oh my Saturn!"

Amy's eyes left the Doctor's face to gaze around the zoo, wondering why he looked so amazed. It didn't take her long to figure out why.

There were over five hundred different types of alien, all queuing to get into the zoo, all different shapes and colours. Some were colossal, some were miniature, some had two legs, and some had twenty legs.

Amy was completely mesmerised by the sight. She had experienced plenty of alien forms with the Doctor, but never all at once like this.

She assumed this was a first for the Doctor as well, noting that his open mouth and wide eyes probably mirrored her expression exactly.

"Oh Amy, this is extraordinary," The Doctor breathed, awed, "I take back what I just said; the excitement starts _here_!"

"What are all of these creatures Doctor?" Amy whispered back, "They're incredible!"

A grin spread across his face, "It would take me weeks to tell you all about these marvellous beings!" He exclaimed, taking her hand and pulling her forward, "And we simply don't have time today! We have to actually get into the zoo first before we can talk to any of them."

The Doctor and Amy wove in and out of the crowds, hands tightly clasped for fear of losing the other in the great herd of aliens.

"Doctor, I think we're supposed to queue," Amy told him as he headed straight for the ticket booths.

"Amy, I'm the Doctor, I never have to wait!" He replied cheerfully, not seeming to notice the annoyed shouts of frustration from the other aliens as they pushed past them.

It didn't take the Doctor long to reach a ticket booth, and luckily for him, an alien had just been served, so he stealthily cut in front of the next customer. Amy gave the alien who had been waiting next an apologetic look, but he snapped his teeth at her.

"Alright, keep your hair on," She muttered, turning her back on it to face to face the Doctor, who was waving his physic paper around.

When Amy looked at the alien in the ticket booth, she had to hold back a laugh.

The alien had a human body, but it had a Labrador's head. Amy tried to catch the Doctor's eye, but he refused to meet her gaze, for fear of laughing along with her.

"Excuse me, you can't just cut in," The dog-human alien told them; it's tone of voice rather snooty. Amy had to press her face against the Doctor's jacket to hide her smile.

"I think I can!" The Doctor replied, shoving his physic paper under the alien's nose, "As you can see here, I'm a Time lord, and this is my fiancée, therefore, we make the VIP list."

Amy's head shot up at the word 'fiancée', and she stared at the Doctor in shock, annoyed when he avoided her gaze again.

When Rory referred to her as his fiancée, it made her nauseous. But hearing the Doctor call her his fiancée was a different matter entirely. It made her heart swell with excitement, warmth…and it made her feel loved.

She shook herself from that train of thought by concentrating on the Doctor's conversation with the alien.

"Indeed, you're right Sir!" The alien gasped, looking up from the VIP list, "I'm truly sorry for keeping you waiting. Is there anything I can do to compensate for my mistake?"

"No need," The Doctor replied with a smile, "Just ensure that our VIP tickets are free of charge."

"Of course Sir…right away Sir!" The alien babbled in reply, passing him two golden tickets, which made Amy think of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', "I hope that you and your fiancée have a great day."

"Thank you very much!" The Doctor replied, shaking the alien's hand, "I'm sure that we will."

As Amy and the Doctor passed through the gates, the Doctor commented, "He was a nice fellow. Shame about the dog smell though."

Amy ignored his remark, and nudged him in the ribs. "So, you didn't tell me that you were like, a celebrity here."

The Doctor rubbed the spot where Amy had elbowed him before answering her question. "It never came up."

"Well, I would have liked to have known that, especially now that we're 'engaged'. And speaking of engagements, why _did_ you say we were engaged? "

The Doctor's cheeks flushed a light pink. "Well, he had to know that we were together in order for us both to get VIP tickets. And I also had to lie about your alien form, so I'm sorry about that."

"Being human isn't good enough around here?" Amy asked in disbelief.

"Well, humans aren't really supposed to be here. After all, there are plenty of aliens that want to eat them. So, moving on, there are—"

"—Eat them!"

The Doctor winced at Amy's shrill voice. "Uh…yes. Didn't I mention that before?"

"No, you didn't!"

"Oopsie."

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter ;D

Hayley x


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **I think you may like this chapter…except for the ending. Sorry that I left it there ;O I will reply to all reviews and update when I get back from my holiday, promise :)

* * *

"Oopsie."

"Yes, _oopsie_." Amy hissed, poking the Doctor in the stomach with her finger.

"I'm awfully sorry," He apologised to her. "I just assumed you knew that aliens existed that were partial to human snacks."

"No I didn't—" Another jab in the stomach for the Doctor, "—and now you're telling me, right after we get tickets, that I'm going to be dinner!"

"Oh Amy, you're not going to be dinner!" The Doctor told her as he took her hands in his, the only way to stop her from poking him again, "They're not going to eat you."

Amy raised her eyebrows at him. "How can you be so sure of that?"

The Doctor released her hands and stretched out his arms. "Hello? Last of the Time Lords here! I'll protect you!" He finished his speech by ruffling her hair.

He expected Amy to be won over by his speech, so he was surprised when she poked him again. He knew he should have kept hold of her hands.

"Doctor, I think you're forgetting that—"

"—What? I never forget anything. I didn't even forget when—"

"—You look human too!" Amy yelled over his interruption.

It effectively quietened the Doctor, and Amy was surprised when he grinned at her. "Amy, I've told you this before. You look Time Lord!"

He raised his hand to ruffle her hair again, but Amy grabbed it with hers. "If you stop ruffling my hair, I'll stop poking you!" She growled.

"Deal!" He grinned, lowering their entwined hands. "And back to the main point, I smell like a Time Lord. No danger for me."

"If we look the same, then I smell like Time Lord too," Amy realised, relieved, "Thank God for that! That's saved me from becoming the new version of Sunday Roast, eh?"

Amy didn't like it when the Doctor bit his lip worriedly. "Doctor?"

"Um…you smell human. So I believe you're still in danger of becoming mashed Amy potato!" The Doctor didn't even give Amy a chance to reply before he was rambling again. "But I do have a plan to hide who you really are, if you'd like."

"I'll do anything to avoid becoming an alien snack!" Amy said with a shiver.

The Doctor beamed, already excited about his plan. "Right then! I'm going to disguise you as a Sypholoticon."

"A _what_?"

"It won't be too hard—Oh, you want to know what it is? Well, just think of a thirty stone Smurf with green spikes poking out of its blue skin. Any more questions before I continue?"

"How is everyone going to think I look like that?" Amy protested, gesturing wildly to herself, "I'm wearing a mini skirt! If I was thirty stone, I would never wear something like this!"

The Doctor frowned slightly. "Okay then, Plan B. We can pretend you're a Fungicili in human form, although…"

"Although what?"

"You're going to have to do something rather disgusting. I'm talking something out of your comfort zone, something that—"

"Doctor, I think I can handle it. It can't be much worse than Star Whale vomit," Amy replied airily, "So, what is it?"

"Are you sure you don't have to get yourself to a calm place?" The Doctor asked worriedly.

"If you're going on about the 'Oooom' noises, there is no way I'm doing that again."

The Doctor squeezed her hands gently, and looking directly into her eyes, he said: "You're going to have to be covered in llama urine."

"Llama urine?" Amy shrieked, "No way! I'll take my chances on becoming alien food, thank you very much!"

The Doctor eyed her warily. "Well, it's your choice. It's either walk around smelling like urine, or become Amy mince meat."

"I thought you said that you could protect me," Amy muttered to him, wanting to poke him again, but the Doctor still had a tight grip on her hands.

"Amy, I can protect you. But knowing you, you'll go wandering off, and then I'll have to stomach pump an alien to get you out of its digestive system!"

It was a hard choice for Amy. Take a risk, or cover herself in urine to avoid a trip to an Alien's intestines.

"Fine, I'll do it," She grumbled, "But where will we find Llama urine?"

The Doctor's grin was back. "Oh Amy, I have all sorts of Urine samples in the TARDIS," He babbled, his words jumbling together in his excitement, "I'll have to show you when you get back! It's like a laboratory for ammonia, you'll love it!"

Amy trusted the Doctor, but she highly doubted she'd love to explore his Urine Samples.

"Normal people collect stamps, or old coins. But nope, you collect Urine!" Amy exclaimed, unable to keep the smile off of her face, "You're one of a kind Doctor."

The Doctor beamed, and swept his companion into a hug. "Amy, I'm glad you're finally seeing me for what I really am!"

Amy didn't know why he seemed happy that he was so different to her, but she knew that she didn't like it. "Well, you're lucky that I like weird and alien, aren't you?" She remarked playfully, running her hands down the Doctor's chest.

The Doctor quickly stepped away from her, attempting to distance himself from her by saying, "Pond, you're remarkable. I've never met someone quite like you."

"That's good then, isn't it? I'm different, you're different…we make a right pair, don't we?" Suddenly Amy wasn't playing around anymore. And neither was the Doctor.

"We do," The Doctor murmured, his grey-green eyes locking with hers, "A great, but dangerous pair."

Amy reached out to him with her hands, needing his touch. "Doctor, I don't know what's happening between us, but I welcome it. I need you. I want you."

The Doctor hesitated, unsure of what to do next. He couldn't get involved with Amy whilst she was betrothed to another man. If she broke off the engagement with Rory, then he would consider starting something with her.

And then he wondered why he was even considering a relationship with her. They were best friends, nothing more.

"I think we're going to have to bring Rory on board the TARDIS to sort out where your priorities lie," The Doctor replied lightly, though both of his hearts were breaking inside. He didn't want to share Amy. She was his.

He wanted to cry when Amy's face fell, unshed tears glittering in her hazel eyes. "I don't want him!" She cried stubbornly, her hands clenching into fists.

"I don't think this is the right time to have this conversation," The Doctor told her quietly, "After our day at the zoo is over, then we can talk. Okay?"

Amy could only nod, for fear of letting her tears fall if she opened her mouth to speak.

"Now, I need to go and collect the Llama Urine, but I'll be right back, okay?" It wasn't necessary for the Doctor to retrieve it by himself, but he needed time to think away from Amy, even if it was for only a few minutes.

Again, Amy nodded, and the Doctor felt his hearts tighten at her sadness.

"Hey Pond," He whispered, "Try and stay out of trouble, okay? I don't feel like stomach pumping any aliens right now."

Relief washed over him when he saw a small smile tug at the corner of Amy's lips, and that was enough for him.

Stepping forward, the Doctor placed his hands on her cheeks and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

And then he was gone.

Amy watched him disappear through the entrance, and a tear that she'd managed to withhold slid down her cheek, followed by many more.

She stood there, crying silently, until she felt a voice murmur in her ear; "You smell absolutely delicious. Mind if I take a bite?"

* * *

Don't kill me for the cliffhanger ;O *Runs and Hides*

Hayley x


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **As promised in my review replies, here is the next chapter ;) Let's see what's happened with Amy and the alien that wants to kill her...

* * *

Amy stiffened, and turned around slowly, her eyes widening in fear when she saw what was behind her.

A seven-foot, bright yellow alien hovered over her; it's snake eyes piercing into hers. Amy repressed a shudder when she saw the alien lick it's lips with a forked tongue.

If Amy had learned anything from the Doctor, it was to be confident in the face of death. "Excuse me?" She growled, pretending to be outraged, "Do you know who I am?"

The Alien chuckled. "Of course I do. A human. My dinner."

It took a step towards her, and Amy took two steps back. "I am a Fungicili, not a human! How could you accuse me of being a human?"

Amy had succeeded in confusing the alien. "But you don't smell like a Fungicili." It stated, running its eyes up and down her body.

"Well, my scent has been washed away by my fiancée, so I'd back off if I were you mate!" Amy told it sternly, folding her arms across her chest, trying her hardest to pretend that she hadn't spent the last minute crying over said _'fiancée.'_

The alien reached out with its scaly claw, gripping Amy's arm and yanking her body towards it. "If you think that lie will save your life, you thought wrong little girl." It opened his mouth, and Amy gasped at its large fangs.

But she wouldn't give up.

"My fiancée is a Time Lord, and if he sees you holding me like this, he isn't going to be to happy!" She yelled, staring the alien defiantly in the face, "Let. Me. Go!"

If possible, the alien's face turned a sallower yellow. "I'm very sorry," He prattled, releasing Amy immediately, "I didn't realise—"

"Who are you and why did you grab my fiancée?" The Doctor's voice thundered from the distance, and Amy had never been so relieved to hear his voice.

The yellow alien began to slither backwards. "I'm Zecterphorolopus, and I can't apologise enough for trying to eat her—"

"You tried to eat her?" The Doctor yelped as he came to a stop in front of him, "How dare you! She is mine! Now go, before I evaporate your very existence."

The alien nodded quickly, before slinking away, quaking in fear from the Doctor's wrath.

But the Doctor wasn't finished. "And that goes for all of you!" He cried, turning his rage on the other aliens, "If any of you even approach her, I will eliminate you!"

Amy was stunned by the Doctor's fury; she'd never seen him so upset before, not even the time when he'd yelled at her on Starship UK.

Every alien within a mile radius scampered away from the Doctor, for fear of provoking him.

After the Doctor was satisfied with their distance, he turned his attention to Amy. "Are you okay?" He asked her worriedly.

Instead of replying to his question, Amy threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Oh Doctor, I'm so glad that you're back." For a split second before the alien had grabbed her, she'd wondered if the Doctor was ever coming back for her. She wouldn't blame him if he didn't; she wasn't exactly 'companion of the year', what with coming onto him and everything.

"Of course I'm back! I always come back." The Doctor murmured as he slipped his arms around her, returning her hug just as forcefully. He buried his face in her auburn hair, inhaling her familiar smell, letting it warm all of his senses.

"I'm so sorry," He continued, kissing the top of her head, "I should never have left you, and I will never forgive myself for leaving you. I left you in so much danger, and I'm—

"It's okay Doctor," Amy whispered, pulling back to run her fingers through his hair affectionately, "I'm fine, so there's nothing to apologise for."

"Even so, if I had gotten back just a minute later—

"—I would still be here."

The Doctor gazed at her in confusion. "But—"

"He released me as soon as I told him who my 'fiancée' was," Amy grinned, "So you did technically save my life, but I had a hand in it too."

"Amy Pond, you are brilliant!" The Doctor beamed, returning her smile just as brightly. "I could kiss—"

"—The VIP tour starts now, ladies and gentleman!" A loudspeaker blared out, startling them both. "All VIP guests please make your way to the Heartreeps cage, where your tour will begin!"

"I guess that's us!" Amy said cheerfully, her moment with the Doctor long forgotten as she began to wonder about the different mechanical aliens she'd see.

"I'm afraid not," The Doctor said gravely, "One, we haven't been through security yet, and two, I prefer to explore by myself. Makes everything more exciting that way."

"Doctor, when you're left by yourself, you always land into a heap of trouble," Amy giggled, looping her arm through his. "But luckily for you, you have me."

"To save me from trouble?"

"Nope, to accompany you into trouble. Duh!"

The Doctor chuckled, before taking her hand to lead her across the park. "That's right, we're the troublesome pair, aren't we?"

"But I think out of the two of us, I'm a lot more mischievous." Amy commented, enjoying their cheery banter after a slightly scary moment.

The Doctor's eyes gleamed playfully. "Is that another bet Pond?"

"I think we had better stick to one bet right now. Wouldn't want to lose our…" Amy trailed off, a loss at what to call her relationship with the Doctor.

Fortunately, the Doctor mistook her sudden silence for amazement at the Security Booths. "I know, I was a bit put off too at first. But you get used to the Oblooga after a while."

"The Oblooga?" Amy repeated, wrinkling her nose in confusion.

The Doctor nodded towards six large aliens by the Security booths. "Those are the Oblooga. Nice chaps, though they can be a bit too touchy-feely sometimes." He took a step towards them, but Amy tugged him back.

"What are you talking about?" She hissed, eyeing the Oblooga's tentacles nervously.

"They're Security."

Amy was about to ask for an explanation of how six octopus shapes could be security guards when she saw it demonstrated. She could feel her mouth drop open at the sight of a small blue alien being wrapped up by one of the Oblooga, as it ran it's tentacles all over the other alien's body.

"That…that's inappropriate!" Amy exploded, pointing a finger accusingly at the Oblooga. "Who the hell do they think they are?"

"Physical contact for security is common in this time period. You're not in the 21st century anymore!" The Doctor told her, as he attempted to walk forward, something that was impossible as Amy was determined to keep him in the same spot.

"I think I prefer the metal detector frames." Amy stated glumly.

"The what?"

"You know, the ones they have at airports."

The Doctor had to stifle a chuckle. "Amy, this is the 32nd century. Security is more advanced now."

"You call that advanced?"

"Oh, it's not that bad! They're actually very nice creatures, which is why they're good at their job. I had an Oblooga as a friend once, but unfortunately, it kept trying to wrap itself around me. Now, I'm quite a physical person, but there's a limit that I won't cross."

"Oh, I bet you're _very_ physical," Amy murmured, gazing up at the Doctor through her lashes.

She was expecting the Doctor to blush and change the subject, but he stared her down. "I am…does that bother you Miss Pond?"

She pretended to think for a moment. "Nope, I don't think it does."

The Doctor smiled in response, and turned his gaze back to the Oblooga, claiming indifference, but the tips of his ears were pink.

"So, before we head over there, there's something I forgot to do."

Before Amy could question him, the Doctor pulled out a small canister of a liquid that looked like apple juice, though she knew what it really was.

"I thought I'd managed to avoid being covered in urine," She sighed. "Go on Doctor, just get it over with."

Being rather fond of her hair, the Doctor poured the liquid over her clothing instead. Amy clamped her hand over her nose and mouth to stop herself from smelling the foul scent, but the Doctor didn't seem to mind it.

After he'd finished, he placed the container back in his pocket and took her hand again. "Come on, we can get checked over now!" He said cheerily, though Amy didn't share his enthusiam.

"I can't believe I'm walking around drenched in Llama Urine." She grumbled, her hand still on her face.

"Don't feel sorry for yourself, think of me!"

Amy blinked at him. "Excuse me?"

"I'm engaged to you, remember?" The Doctor exclaimed, rolling his eyes at her idiocy.

"Are you saying that you're embarrassed to be with me because I smell of something that _you_ poured over me?" Amy snapped.

The Doctor thought for a moment. "Well, there is that. But no, more towards the fact that I'm engaged to someone who is below me in the Social Ladder."

"Hey, you're the one who fabricated this engagement!" Amy argued, tearing her hand from his.

The Doctor acted like he hadn't heard her, though he did miss the warmth of her hand in his. "I'm at the top of the ladder, you're at the bottom. Though it could be worse, humans are lower class than Fungicilis."

"You really know how to charm a girl, don't you Doctor?" His companion retorted, folding her arms across her chest.

"Oh don't be like that!" The Doctor groaned, slinging his arm over her shoulders to tuck her into his side, "I was only making a remark. You know that I see you as my equal."

"Good." Amy muttered. "You better. Or I'll kick your backside."

"I don't doubt that!" The Doctor quipped, feeling elated when he felt Amy slip her arm around his waist. "And now, I think it's time to get molested!"

* * *

Please review if you liked the chapter :)

Next update will be tomorrow if I get some reviews...and if I finish writing the chapter today haha ;D

Hayley x


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **As promised, here's the next chapter :) Thank you for all of your reviews, I've gone past the '50' mark! Waheyyyy ;D

After this chapter, there are only two more chapters left of the alien zoo because their journey continues elsewhere :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Being VIP's, Amy and the Doctor had to queue separately, and one of the Oblooga began to slither over to them. Amy watched it approach warily, but the Doctor was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Oh Amy, they're so beautiful! I wish I was still friends with them," The Doctor sighed dreamily. "Imagine travelling with one of them! 'Course, they can be very slimy, which is a hassle."

"Doctor, if you ever replace me with an Oblooga, it will be the last thing you do!" Amy hissed; her eyes still trained on the alien.

The Oblooga came to a stop in the front of them then, and Amy couldn't help but take a step back. They were bigger than she'd previously thought, and she couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by it.

The Doctor however, didn't seem to mind.

"Hello old friend!" He grinned, grasping one of its tentacles and shaking it profusely, "How are you?"

The Oblooga just blinked at him.

When it didn't reply, the Doctor sighed, and his smile faded. "I just remembered…the Oblooga can't speak at all. They don't even have a voice. Shame really, they're magnificent creatures and they can't even talk!"

Amy found her voice then. "They'd be a rubbish companion then. You love having someone to banter with."

The grin reappeared. "Ah yes, that is very true Pond!" The Doctor exclaimed. "Who else could I—hey!"

The Oblooga had cut off the Doctor by shoving him backwards with its tentacle.

"Another disadvantage, they're also very impatient," The Doctor grumbled to Amy, beginning to remove his Tweed Jacket. "Patience is a virtue!" He scolded the alien, handing it his jacket. "Now, be careful with that—no, no, _no_!"

The alien had taken the Doctor's jacket and turned it upside down, causing a large array of items to fall out. Items included library cards, a packet of Hubba Bubba, a pink fluffy pen, and a Wallace and Gromit fridge magnet.

"I didn't know that your jacket had so many pockets!" Amy remarked, staring in amazement at all of the items on the floor. "How do you carry all of those things?"

The Doctor shrugged distractedly, too busy watching the Oblooga examine his items. "I'm not sure…maybe I'm the Time Lord version of Mary Poppins."

His companion couldn't help but snort at that. "You? With children? Don't make me laugh."

The Doctor suddenly lost interest in the Oblooga and spun around to face her. "What's so funny about that?" He asked, bewildered. "You've seen me around children! I took care of you when you were a child yourself!"

"But I can't imagine you caring for children all of the time! You'd get bored and whisk them off to another universe, and then forget all about them as you whiz off to do your own thing."

The Doctor sniffed, clearly offended by her opinion. "Well, maybe when you and Rory have children, I can baby-sit and prove you wrong!" He retorted, scowling at her.

That remark stung both Amy and himself, and he regretted making it when he saw Amy's face darken for the second time that day.

"Note-to-self, don't mention the fiancée in tense situations." He muttered to himself, though Amy heard him.

"I'd appreciate it if we didn't mention him at all!" She snapped. "You promised we'd talk back at the TARDIS."

"Oh, that's right!" The Doctor replied, slapping his head as if he'd forgotten, though of course he hadn't. "Not something I'm looking forward to, mind. It's not everyday that—aaah!"

The Doctor suddenly found himself airborne, dangling in the air from the encasement of the Oblooga's tentacles.

"Doctor?" Amy cried fearfully, her previous anger at him forgotten momentarily.

"No worries Pond!" The Doctor called back cheerfully, his voice strained from being tossed around in the Oblooga's embrace. "Normal procedure!"

"Normal procedure my arse." She grumbled back. "There is no way that I'm letting that thing do that to me."

The Oblooga stopped then, but kept one tentacle around the Doctor as it used its others to search him.

"And it's definitely not doing that either!" Amy continued, watching the search go on in horror.

"Physicality is key!" The Doctor reminded her, not particularly liking the situation himself, but wanting to reassure her.

The search only lasted a couple more seconds, and then the Doctor was released. He snatched his jacket up quickly, relieved that he was allowed to keep all of his items. Especially his Hubba Bubba.

The Oblooga turned to Amy, who shook her head adamantly. "I'm okay thanks, go find someone else to search!" She told it firmly.

The Doctor expected the Oblooga to just snatch her up, so when he saw it politely offer her its tentacle to take; he nearly choked on his bubblegum.

"Is there any way of getting out of this?" Amy called to him, taking a step away from the Oblooga. But it just followed her.

"Nope, sorry!" The Doctor replied, watching the pair of them in astonishment. "I'm surprised it hasn't picked you up already. I think it likes you."

"You can't be serious!" Amy protested, "It's an alien!"

"And it thinks you're an alien too!"

"Oh hell!" Amy muttered, finally taking the Oblooga's tentacle. "Let's get this over with."

~I~

The next few minutes were some of the best in the Doctor's life. He didn't think he'd ever laughed so much at an Oblooga search before.

Amy had wriggled and screamed persistently as she was tossed around in the air, and the Doctor kept calling out, "Don't scream like that! You'll encourage it!"

By the end of the search, Amy was well and truly flustered, her face bright pink from embarrassment and her hair completely dishevelled.

But the Oblooga wasn't quite finished.

It placed one of its tentacles on Amy's leg, and started to slide up her thigh, causing her to shriek, "Do you mind?" at it.

The Doctor had to step in then. "Excuse me!" He hissed, poking the Oblooga in the stomach. "That's my fiancée you're touching. Now release her at once!"

The Oblooga did so immediately, and began to slink away, it's head bowed in shame.

"Thank you so much!" Amy sighed in relief, giving the Doctor an awkward one-armed hug as she used her other hand to wipe the slime off her leg. "I can't believe an octopus alien tried it on with me! That's so embarrassing!"

She was set to continue her complaint, but the Doctor's random breakout into dancing distracted her.

"I won! I won!" He chanted, hopping up and down, waving his arms in the air. "I won the bet! I knew you'd get embarrassed!"

"Okay Doctor, you won," Amy said hastily, eyeing the group of aliens that had stopped to watch his humiliating spectacle. "Now stop dancing, you're drawing attention."

"And I was about to bust out my robot moves." The Doctor sighed in disappointment, but he obeyed her command. "Oh bugger it."

Amy looked up at him in confusion. "What's wrong Doctor?"

The Doctor looked crushed, which worried her instantly. "Doctor?" She repeated anxiously, resting her hand on his arm lightly.

"Oh Amy…" He sighed, bowing his head.

Now Amy was frantic. "Doctor, tell me what's wrong!"

"I swallowed my bubblegum! And it was my last piece!"

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it :)

Hayley x


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **Something ironic happened to me today. The Doctor swallowed his bubblegum last chapter, and I swallowed some this morning, which I told some of you earlier when I was replying to reviews. Odd.

Oh, and a point was raised in a review. This story will have action and drama, but at the moment, I'm trying to build up Amy and the Doctor's relationship. This is an AU of Series 5, so eventually it will follow the cracks in time and reach the climax of the series. But because I am adding my own ideas, this story will probably be about 60 chapters. Haha. Oh dear!

Also, Amy and the Doctor in this AU of Series 5 are a couple. Or rather, they will be.

So yeah, I felt I had to clear that up.

Enjoy the chapter :D

* * *

After Amy had finished laughing at the Doctor's sadness about his lost bubblegum, they walked away from the Oblooga, both excited about exploring the mechanical alien zoo.

They walked arm in arm towards a large booth that the Doctor said would give them maps. Amy expected there to be lots of paper maps stacked in piles, but instead, there was only a large bowl of an aqua liquid.

"What's that?" She whispered to the Doctor, who rolled his eyes at her, exasperated.

"I told you, it's a map!" He sighed, reaching forward to dip his finger in the liquid. After swirling his finger around, he removed it and stuck it in his mouth.

Amy gave him a playful shove. "That's disgusting Doctor! Someone could have spat in that!"

The Doctor took his finger out and stuck it back in the bowl. "It's illegal to spit in the 32nd century. You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to brush your teeth in this era!" He told her, swirling his finger around again. "Anyway, you're _supposed_ to do this."

"But it's still—" Amy was cut off by the Doctor sticking his finger in her mouth. Suddenly she knew where everything was in the zoo, including the rubbish dump and security toilets.

The Doctor removed his finger and grinned at her. "See? I told you. A map."

Amy peered curiously into the bowl. "But how did a drop of liquid tell us the layout of the park?"

"It's otrophenique liquid, grown only on this planet. Comes from the otrophenique plant, naturally, and contains a substance called syhpicilus. It takes over the sensory neurons in the brain for a split second to give the cells information, hence why we now know the layout of the park." The Doctor explained, taking Amy's hand to lead her away from the bowl.

"You could do anything with that liquid!" She whispered in awe. "Like put the answers to an exam in there, and then let students drink it!"

The Doctor chuckled. "You could. But it's illegal to use the otrophenique liquid for circumstances like that."

"Of course it would be." Amy sighed. "I guess the Law still sucks in this century."

But the Doctor wasn't listening to her anymore. "Amy, look at those Heartreeps!" He exclaimed, pointing to a large tank of fish. Except they weren't normal fish.

Each Heartreep was about ten metres long, and they reminded Amy of the story about a rainbow fish. Every scale was a different colour, and she could only watch them swim around the tank in amazement, watching their skin shimmer in the blue water.

"They're beautiful Doctor!" She breathed, squeezing his hand tightly.

"They are," He murmured, and Amy was surprised to see him looking wistful. "But they're only mechanical. This species died out long ago."

"That's so sad," Amy said quietly. "I can't believe that creatures like that are dead. It's so hard to believe."

"I know," The Doctor agreed, before his mood brightened. "Tell you what Amy, after this trip, I'll take you to the Fountain of Hartraphilia, where the Heartreep lived before they became extinct. You'll love it! We can go swimming with them!"

"They're not harmful?" Amy asked, surprised.

"Of course not, they're old softies!" The Doctor replied fondly, resting his hand on the glass. "We'll have a blast!"

Before Amy could reply, a loud voice boomed: "Sir, hands off the glass!"

The Doctor jumped back from the tank, waving sheepishly at a tall purple alien who had told him off. "Sorry, won't happen again!" He called to the alien cheerily.

Amy tugged on his hand, indicating that they should walk away. The Doctor understood her hint, and they carried on with their exploration.

"I knew you'd get into trouble!" Amy laughed, nudging the Doctor with their entwined hands. "Honestly, I can't go anywhere with you!"

The Doctor looked surprised at that. "Me? I'm very good at staying out of trouble!"

Amy gave him a stern look, and he hastened to correct himself. "Okay, I can stay out of trouble. Badly." He admitted. "But it won't happen again! At least, not for this trip."

"Is that another bet?" Amy asked him playfully.

A grin spread across his face. "I believe so."

"Fine. If you get into trouble again, then you have to take me to an Earth zoo…in the 21st century." Amy told him.

"That's a boring prize," The Doctor remarked, but quickly backtracked at Amy's glare. "I mean, that's a lovely idea! We can…uh…go and see…a monkey!"

Amy couldn't help but giggle at his lack of knowledge about zoos.

"Not that we'll be seeing that monkey, because I'm not going to get into trouble again." The Doctor finished assertively.

"We'll see." Amy remarked, her tone just as confident as his.

~I~

Amy and the Doctor spent the next couple of hours exploring the rest of the zoo. Amy screamed at the large gorilla-like aliens, known as Tusfurians, when they repeatedly banged the glass to get her attention. The Doctor joked that she'd gained another alien admirer, though a few minutes later, he had gained one too.

There was an open pen full of sprinkybass, aliens that looked like small green cats, though they had eight eyes. Amy thought that they were adorable, and she immediately scooped one into her arms to hold. The Doctor did the same to another one, except this alien was a lot friendlier. It rubbed its face all over the Doctor's, so he quickly put it down.

However, when he did that, the sprinkybass rubbed itself against his legs so the Doctor ran out of the pen to escape, but it was right on his heels. Amy could only laugh at the spectacle, especially when the Doctor tripped over.

Finally they arrived at the cage of Tisfizzles, mechanical aliens that the Doctor had been really looking forward to seeing. Amy couldn't help but 'awww' over them, they were even cuter than the cats.

Each Tisfizzle was bright pink, and they reminded Amy of 'Kirby' from the Nintendo games.

"Oh Doctor, I want one!" She gushed, tugging on the sleeve of his tweed jacket.

When the Doctor didn't reply, she glanced up at him, only to see him frowning at the cage. "What's wrong?" She asked him curiously.

The Doctor leant forward so that his nose was pressed against the glass. "I can't hear anything." He muttered.

Amy was confused. "Are we supposed to be hearing anything?"

"Every counterfeit alien we've seen today has been ticking. But these aren't."

"They're real?" Amy guessed, returning her gaze to the Tisfizzles.

The Doctor stepped back from the glass. "No. It just means that their mechanical system is miniature. I have to see what it looks like. I've never seen something like that before." When he'd finished speaking, the Doctor began to circle the cage, looking for a way in.

Amy was about to discourage him, when she remembered their bet. And she really wanted to visit an Earth zoo. "Okay, so how are you going to look at it?" She asked him, following him around the cage.

He shot her a grin over his shoulder. "Take the Tisfizzle apart, of course!"

"Of course!" Amy agreed, returning his smile.

The Doctor found the entrance then, and he punched in a code into the lock. "There!" He announced, as the door sprung open. "The password was the name of the species. What idiots."

He stepped carefully into the cage, and held out his hand for Amy. "Come on then Pond, let's get this absolutely-harmless dissection done!"

Amy shook her head and backed away from the cage. "No way Doctor. I couldn't bear to see you take one of those things apart. I'll just be out here, waiting for you."

That was a lie. She didn't want to go in the cage just in case she got into trouble too, as the Doctor wouldn't count that as winning the bet. He had to get into trouble alone.

The Doctor scowled at her. "Spoilsport." He grumbled. "You've helped me fight the weeping angels and the daleks, yet you're too scared to watch me take apart a mechanical alien. Unbelievable!"

Amy smiled innocently at him, and the Doctor sighed before turning away. "Fine! I'll just have to do this alone!" He called through the glass. "All by myself…don't wanna be…all by myselfffffffffffffff!"

"Jeez Doctor, you're killing me!" Amy yelled, clamping her hands safely over her ears.

"Note to self, number eleven can't sing." The Doctor mumbled from inside of the cage. "Now, where did I put my Sonic Screwdriver?"

Amy's hand flew to her jacket pocket, where she'd put the screwdriver before they'd left the TARDIS. She knew that the Doctor had dropped it under the console earlier, before he'd kissed her. She also knew that the Doctor would forget it was there, so she had picked it up for him. She was surprised that it had taken him this long to notice it was missing.

"I left it in the TARDIS!" The Doctor realised. "Oh this is very not terrific. Let's just hope I don't need it if—"

"Sir, step out of the cage with your hands in the air!" A loud voice boomed, and Amy spun around to see the tall purple alien from earlier, holding what looked to her like a laser gun.

The Doctor stepped out of the cage with his hands raised, eyeing the gun warily. "Ah, so I guess you still laser people in public places. Haven't got myself in a very good situation here."

The alien placed its finger on the trigger, and the Doctor hastily shut up. "You too Miss, hands in the air!" The alien barked, and Amy quickly raised her hands.

Two Oblooga suddenly appeared next to them, and Amy recognised the one that had grabbed her earlier. It recognised her too, and began to slither towards her.

"Don't even think about it!" The Doctor growled protectively, and he stepped in front of her.

But the Oblooga simply scooped him up with its tentacles and tossed him to the other Oblooga. "I'm getting my legal representative on you for this behaviour!" The Doctor thundered. "650 year old Grindleward from the Suruksia Universe. A beauty of a lawyer!"

This angered the Oblooga, and it shook the Doctor harshly, making Amy fear for him.

"I think I should shut up now." The Doctor mumbled, and now Amy truly was scared.

The Doctor never kept his mouth shut.

The other Oblooga picked up Amy, and once again the Doctor was astonished at the tenderness. "So not fair!" He cried, and now the Oblooga had had enough.

It laid the Doctor on the floor, and picked up his legs, dragging him along the floor. Amy followed them from the arms of the other Oblooga, cursing herself for not stopping the Doctor in the first place from going into the cage. All for a stupid bet!

The purple alien called after them, "Lock them up in torture chamber DSX. Keep the man chained, but leave the girl free."

The Doctor and Amy both exchanged wide-eyed glances. That didn't sound good.

* * *

**Next chapter is a huge turning point for the Doctor and Amy.**

**Anyone want to have a guess at what's going to happen between them? ;D**

**Hayley x**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **The response to this story amazes me. And I'm so glad you're all looking forward to this being a long story. And when I say long, I mean LONG.

Anyhow, I hope you're all well :) Enjoy the turning point in Amy and Eleven's relationship ;D

* * *

Luckily for the Doctor and Amy, the torture chamber was just a normal prison cell. Well, aside from the chains on the wall.

The Oblooga that carried Amy laid her down gently on the bed, and gave her a couple of magazines to read. She thanked it, and the Oblooga winked at her.

Feeling uncomfortable, Amy turned her head to watch the Doctor being chained to the wall. She expected him to be making a fuss, protesting, but he had his lips clamped firmly shut.

The purple alien that had caught them instructed both of the Oblooga to spread eagle to Doctor against the wall, leaving his legs far apart and arms outstretched so they could lock him up. The Doctor grimaced when they chained him against the stonewall, clearly not comfortable with his position.

Amy again felt guilty for tricking the Doctor into the situation. She swore never to make another bet with him again.

After the aliens had left, the Doctor finally spoke. "Well this is fantastic!" He exclaimed, a smile lighting up his face.

Amy frowned in confusion. "Why on Earth are you smiling like that?"

"Because being imprisoned between the 31st and 35 century was on my to-do list, and now I've accomplished it!"

His reply just confused her even more. "But you didn't look very happy when those aliens chained you to the wall."

"I was playing a part Amy! It would have looked suspicious if I had smiled whilst they chained me up," The Doctor replied, shaking his head at her, as if his answer was obvious. "I'm no Tom Cruise, but I think I pulled—"

"Wait! Tom Cruise?" Amy asked him in bewilderment. "You actually know who he is?"

"Amy, just because I'm an alien doesn't make me an imbecile! 'Course I know Tommy, we go way back. Last time I saw him was in 1996, when a Slitheen tried to use him as a skin suit." The Doctor told her, smiling fondly at the memory. "A very important moral came from that incident: never trust make-up artists."

Amy didn't know what to say to that. But she didn't need to say anything, because the Doctor hadn't finished.

"Anyway, back to the original subject. I'm thrilled to be locked up, but I didn't foresee that I'd be without my sonic screwdriver." He sighed. "Not good."

_If only he knew._

The guilt that Amy had previously felt vanished, now that she knew that the Doctor didn't mind being locked up. She saw an opportunity to tease him, and she couldn't resist taking it. "Doctor, all you have to do is say that you need me." She told him cryptically.

Now it was the Doctor's turn to be confused. "Need you? I don't understand."

"Just say it." She said, her tone nonchalant as she turned her gaze towards the magazines.

"Why do I need to say it?"

Amy glanced up from the magazines and raised her eyebrow at him. "Because it will change your life."

The Doctor snorted at that. "Haha Pond, steal my catchphrase!"

Amy sat up slowly, and reached into her jacket pocket. "I didn't just steal your catchphrase!" She remarked, withdrawing the sonic screwdriver.

She couldn't help but smile as she watched the Doctor's face light up. "You, Amy Pond, are brilliant!" He breathed.

"So, do you need me?" She asked him playfully, rising from the bed to walk over to him.

"Yes, I need you." He replied, and they both knew he wasn't just talking about that moment.

Amy aimed the screwdriver at the cuff around the Doctor's right hand and pressed the small gold button at the side of the device, grinning as she watched the metal break in half. She proceeded to do the same to the other three cuffs, and when she'd finished, she took a step away from the Doctor, allowing him room to stretch his arms and legs.

After the Doctor had finished, he stepped towards Amy, a soft smile playing on his lips.

Thinking that she knew what he wanted, she offered him the screwdriver, which the Doctor put in it's rightful place; the inside pocket of his tweed jacket, right next to his Wallace and Gromit fridge magnet.

But that wasn't he truly wanted.

Cupping her face gently in his hands, he murmured: "Amy, you're magnificent," before he pressed his lips to hers.

Amy's eyes fluttered closed, and she kissed him back, smiling against his lips when she finally came around the fact that the Doctor was kissing her, and kissing her in a way that showed he cared a lot about her.

The Doctor pulled away after a moment, and rested his forehead against hers. "That should have been our first kiss." He murmured, tracing her cheekbones lightly with his fingertips.

Amy blushed then, remembering how she'd strongly she'd come onto him. "I'm so sorry for what I did." She whispered, lowering her eyes to the ground.

The Doctor chuckled and tilted her head up with his hand so she met his gaze. "I'm not. And you shouldn't be either. I can't say that I have any bad memories from that kiss."

His honesty made Amy smile, and when he saw her relief, he released her and walked over to the cell window. "As much as I'd love to continue this, I think we'd better get out of here before they realise that I've been released from my chains."

Amy voiced her agreement, and joined him by the window, relieved again when she saw that the ground wasn't too far down.

The Doctor unlocked the window using his screwdriver, which fortunately was large enough to allow them to escape. "They really should revise their window sizes," He chuckled as he helped Amy out of the window. "I'm surprised there haven't been any escapes!"

"Well, not everyone is quite like us!" Amy replied as her feet touched the ground outside.

The Doctor quickly followed her out of the window, his normal clumsiness forgotten as he landed firmly on his feet. "Very true!" He grinned at her, before taking her hand and edging around the building.

"You know, I'm so glad that maps are still free in places like this, especially since we now have to navigate our way around a mechanical zoo to get back to the TARDIS." Amy commented.

"Freebies, swear by them!" The Doctor replied, squeezing her hand. "Right, by my calculations, we can only do one thing to get out of this situation."

"As long as it doesn't involve more urine, I'll do anything."

"No urine, but some jogging may be required. Well, when I say jogging, I actually mean we—" Then the Doctor spotted an Oblooga heading in their direction, "—_run_!"

Amy and the Doctor surged forward, hands tightly clasped as they began to sprint through the alien tourists.

"This is so much fun!" The Doctor yelled, exhilarated as they ran away from Security. "We should really do this more often!"

"What do you mean? We do this every single time we leave the TARDIS!" Amy laughed back.

A laser shot past them then, making her yelp. "They're shooting at us! Are they insane?" She yelled angrily.

"Insane, or they just really want to kill us!" The Doctor replied hastily, scrambling in his pocket to find his screwdriver. Once he'd located it, he withdrew it and fiddled with the switches, all the while trying to push his way through the large crowds of aliens.

Finally he found the right button, and a green aura surrounded them. "Temporary force field. Will keep the lasers from hitting us until we get to the TARDIS." The Doctor remarked, answering Amy's unspoken question.

"All of the times that we could have used a force field to protect ourselves, and you tell me you have one _now_!" She hissed, fighting the urge to jab the Doctor in the ribs. "Honestly!"

"Force fields are boring! I only use them in the most dire situations, and seeing as being killed by laser is quite painful, I believed that now was the right time to use one." The Doctor said, sneaking a glance at her as they ran. "You can't tell me that you're upset that I didn't tell you?"

Amy just grinned. "'Course not. We all have our secrets Doctor."

The Doctor didn't reply to that, as he realised the truth in her words. There was a lot he hadn't told her, and it wasn't just the many functions of his screwdriver.

~I~

It only took the Doctor and Amy another few minutes to reach the TARDIS, and when they saw it, their sprint increased, both panting as they finally reached the ship.

After the Doctor had unlocked the door, he ran straight up to the console to fly the TARDIS away from the zoo. He didn't have a destination in mind, but drifting in space would do for now.

Once they were safely away, he collapsed onto the chair beside Amy, joining in with her laughter.

"That was amazing! It felt like kiss chase, running away from that Oblooga!" She giggled.

"I hope you're not implying that the Oblooga was trying to kiss me!" The Doctor replied in mock horror.

Suddenly Amy was serious. "No. That's my job, remember?"

The Doctor sobered up too, and he ran his thumb lightly over her lips. Smiling, Amy took his hand away and leant forward to brush her lips softly against his.

Before the Doctor could respond, Amy had pulled back. "Doctor, I have to say this." She said, her eyes twinkling with humour. "How would you rate that kiss out of ten?"

The Doctor threw back his head and laughed. "Oh Pond, that's what I like about you. You always say the unexpected."

"I'm still waiting for my answer." She hinted, nudging him slightly. "So go on. Be honest."

_Two can play the game Pond. _The Doctor thought as he tilted her chin up to kiss her. "I may need some more material before I judge." He told her playfully.

"Oh really?" Amy hummed, threading her fingers in his unruly brown hair. "Well, I'll have to oblige to that."

The Doctor grinned before their lips met again, and he raised his hands to cradle her face, as their kiss grew more passionate.

_Ten. Definitely a ten._

* * *

**WAHEY! THEY KISSED :D**

**Yes, that was the turning point. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is for Amy and the Doctor.**

**Well done to Tvshowobsessed2 for guessing correctly that the turning point was a kiss :) Also well done to ILiveADaydream who was close.**

**Oh, and thank you to Sabrina and Jemima for your anonymous reviews, though I wish you had accounts so I could thank you personally :\**

**Hayley x**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **Still so amazed by how much you all enjoy my story :') I hope you all continue to like it :)

So here's a nice, fluffy chapter, just for you :D

Oh by the way, OMG TO EPISODE 12 OF DOCTOR WHO! I won't leave any spoilers as I know some of you aren't British, but just OMG. I was STUNNED by the episode, in both a good way and a bad way. Not afraid to say I wept like a baby at the ending. ROLL ON NEXT SATURDAY!

It's going to be hard to fit the finale in with this story, but I'll find a way :)

* * *

The Doctor could spend all of eternity kissing Amy Pond. He loved the feel of her fingertips lightly caressing his hair, he loved the way her body moulded to his as they kissed, he loved the—hell; he loved everything.

But unfortunately, they both needed to breathe, so they had to break apart for air. Before Amy could ask him, the Doctor murmured: "Ten" as he stood up to head over to the console.

Amy punched the air in triumph, happy with the score, before she joined him at the console. "Where are we going?" She asked him, already excited for their next adventure.

The Doctor grinned at her as he flicked a red switch. "Nowhere at the moment, we're on auto-pilot."

And then Amy remembered their bet. "Hey Doctor, I know where we're going next!"

"Oh really? And where are we going Miss Pond?"

"To a 21st century Earth zoo!" She replied happily, and the Doctor's grin faded slightly. "You lost the bet, remember?"

Of course he remembered. He just hoped that she hadn't.

"Fine!" The Doctor relented, punching in their destination. "22nd of April, 2010, Longleat. Happy now?"

"That's the place on television!" Amy realised. "That's perfect! But why are we going in April? Why not the day we left?"

The Doctor couldn't give her the real reason for that, especially since the day after they'd left was the base code of the Universe. Not good.

"Because all of the animals will be out of hibernation, so we'll get to see them at their peak!" He replied quickly, relieved when Amy seemed to buy his excuse.

"That's true," She mused. "I bet you're looking forward to seeing the monkeys!"

The Doctor grimaced at that. "Oh yes. Absolutely. Certainly. Highlight of my existence. Of course."

Amy laughed at that. "Okay monkey boy" –the Doctor's grimace became a scowl— "I'm going to go and have a shower and get rid of this urine stench. When I get back, I want this TARDIS to have landed. _Safely._ Okay?"

The Doctor made a show of rolling his eyes in frustration, but he knew that he'd have landed his ship by the time she returned. Maybe not safely, but he would have landed it.

"Amy? Could you get my red bowtie please?" He called to her as she headed up the stairs.

"Aren't you changing your outfit or underwear?" She asked him, smirking.

Little did she know that he kept spare changes of clothes in a secret compartment in the TARDIS console room. Just in case. "No, I've got that covered. Just get my bowtie."

Amy nodded at him before disappearing up the staircase.

Once the Doctor was sure that she'd gone, he quickly located a new outfit. He made sure his green bow tie and green braces were safely placed in the compartment, being very valuable to him. The clothes he was wearing previously were tossed to one side of the TARDIS, as he knew his beloved ship would take it and clean it for him. She was magnificent like that.

~I~

Twenty minutes later, and the Doctor was growing impatient. "How long does it take for a woman to shower?" He muttered to himself, randomly flicking switches on the TARDIS console.

_Out of all of the female companions that you've had, Amy takes the least amount of time to get ready_. His ship hummed, making the Doctor stumble a few steps back in surprise, still not used to their physic link. Even after more than nine hundred years.

The TARDIS chuckled, and before the Doctor could make a sharp comeback, Amy appeared at the top of the staircase, waving his bowtie at him. "Catch!" She called, tossing the garment down to him.

The Doctor scrambled to catch it, and he cheered with relief when he did. Then he glared at her. "Careful!" He scolded. "My bowties are rather valuable!"

"I thought that they were only valuable to clowns…oh wait, you _are_ one!" Amy shot back, grinning to show that she didn't mean it.

But the Doctor still pretended to be offended. "First monkey-boy, and now a clown! I sound like a circus freak show!"

"Come and see the raggedy doctor, who believes he has a swimming pool in his library and has a strange fetish for bow ties!"

"Bowties are cool!" He protested, putting his red one on as they spoke. "And the swimming pool _was_ in the library."

"Sure it was Doctor. So how come that I haven't seen it? All of this time that I've been here and you haven't even taken me swimming yet! You should be ashamed!" Amy told him sternly, pinging his red braces.

The Doctor yelped as the elastic hit his skin. "Because we have all of space and time at our fingertips, so why waste time in a swimming pool?" He answered her, straightening his braces.

"But if all of that's at our fingertips, then surely we can find the time to go swimming and withhold saving the universe for a couple of hours?" Amy retorted cheekily.

The Doctor merely grumbled in reply, knowing that she was right. And just as he was about to reply, he spotted an exciting sight out of his ship's window. "Well, would you look at that Pond! I think it's time to meet some Earth creatures!"

Amy followed his gaze, and when she saw what he was looking at, she began shaking her head adamantly. "No way Doctor. They'll eat us."

"They'll eat _you_, but I'm sure they won't be opposed to meeting a Time Lord!" The Doctor said, unworried about the danger waiting for them outside of the TARDIS. "Now you stay here, and I'll just—

"Doctor, they're lions. You know, the kings of the zoo? Huge, strong carnivores? Do you understand?" Amy asked in exasperation, tapping his forehead with her finger.

"Amy, I know all about lions! Compared to some aliens, they're just like big pussycats!" The Doctor replied, already bounding towards the door. "Now, I won't be a minute. Just want to familiarise myself with the lions. Excuse me!"

"I thought you'd agreed that you'd have landed us safely by the time I got changed!" Amy yelled after him, but he had already disappeared out of the door.

Sighing, she flopped down onto one of the chairs and turned her gaze to her watch, counting how many seconds it would take for the Doctor to realise that lions were not huge pussycats at all.

~I~

43 seconds later, the Doctor slammed the TARDIS door open, his face pale as he raced towards the console. Although Amy was concerned at his appearance, she couldn't help but feel smug that she'd been right, and he'd been wrong.

"How were the lions Doctor? Did you make friends?" She asked him, fighting the impulse to smile.

"You know, they're not as nice as they will be in a few thousand years time." He mumbled, slamming down a green lever that would take the TARDIS to a safer destination: behind a building of public toilets.

"I told you so!" Amy sang, unable to keep the smirk from her face any longer. "You should really listen to me more often."

The Doctor didn't reply, knowing that she was right. He couldn't believe how foolish he'd been. He knew everything, and he certainly knew about the true instincts of a lion, but he'd deluded himself into thinking that they'd be safe. Befriending the most terrifying of aliens in existence had done that to him.

"Now, are we going to explore this zoo or what?" Amy asked him, interrupting his train of thought.

The Doctor's mood disappeared, and he found himself grinning along with her. "We're going to explore this zoo!" He replied, taking her hand and leading her to the door.

Before he could open it, Amy stopped him. "Doctor, I want you to promise me that you're not going to try and break into anymore animal enclosures. Okay?"

"Oh Amy, I never make promises that I can't keep!" The Doctor quipped, pushing her out of the door with a laugh.

* * *

**BTW, the Zoo story only lasts another chapter before there is a slight mishap between the Doctor and Amy. Uh-oh!**

**Now to my anonymous reviewers:**

**Sabrina. WHOA is all I can say to your review. You gave me so much feedback, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that. Honestly. Your words blew me away. I'm so glad you're enjoying this story as much as I am writing it :) And yes, Cold Blood was amazing. The scene between Amy and the Doctor at the end was adorable!**

**Jemima, thank you again for reviewing :D I'm glad you found it cute, and yes, you should get an account chica! Make one now ;)**

**Hayley x**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **Doctor Who Series 5 is over, and that fact kills me. The series has made me laugh, cry, scream, and go 'awwww' over the Amy/Eleven moments.

Anyway, at least I still have Amy/Eleven Fanfiction to keep me going until the Christmas special ;)

* * *

Once Amy and the Doctor were outside of the TARDIS, Amy remembered something. "Doctor, we need a car to travel through the safari park!" She realised, slapping her forehead. "I can't believe that I forgot that!"

"Every time you slap your forehead, you lose fifty brain cells." The Doctor said randomly, taking her hand away from her forehead. "And anyway, that action was completely unnecessary. We have a car."

"The TARDIS doesn't count." Amy told him with a sigh.

"I know that, which is why I have commandeered a vehicle!" The Doctor replied with a grin, pointing to a blue car that was a few metres away from them.

Amy let out a low whistle and released the Doctor's hand to skip over to the car. "This is incredible! I've always wanted a Mercedes." She admitted, running her hand lovingly over the bonnet.

And then her head snapped up with realisation. "Wait, when you say 'commandeered', do you mean that you stole this?"

The Doctor looked insulted. "You think that I stole this? Why would you think that? I have never committed an offence in my life!" At Amy's sceptic face, he rephrased. "Okay, I _have_ committed plenty of offences, but I've never stolen a car."

"You can't tell me this came from the TARDIS!" Amy exclaimed, tapping the car with her fingernails.

"Mind the paintwork!" The Doctor scolded as he walked over to her. "And yes, it did come from the TARDIS. It was hard work, putting it into atoms to get it out, but it worked."

"Okay, I believe you Doctor. But where did you get it from?"

"Well, remember when I told you that I'm friends with Tom Cruise? This was from him, for my 900th birthday. What a legend!" He replied cheerfully, taking out the keys from his pocket. "Now, let's get this baby running!"

Amy snorted. "Never say that again."

"Duly noted." The Doctor said with a nod. "Now Miss Pond, your carriage awaits! Hop in!"

But Amy didn't move. "No way. I'm driving."

Now it was the Doctor's turn to laugh. "No way. Absolutely not. This is _my_ car."

"Every boyfriend lets their girlfriend drive their car. It's a fact. So hand those keys over!" She instructed, holding her hand out for them.

"Amy, you're not my girlfriend. Now get in."

The Doctor congratulated himself silently when Amy climbed into the car, not noticing the hurt expression on her face. "That wasn't so difficult was it?" He commented as he slid into the driver's seat. "Now, let's get this show on the road!"

He expected a cheer from Amy, but she remained silent.

Believing her silence was her way of showing that she was unhappy that he was the one driving, the Doctor decided to treat her to some facts about Longleat.

"Did you know that the safari park here was the first drive-through park outside of Africa? I learnt that from my friend, Larry the llama."

The Doctor glanced at Amy, but she was staring out of the window. He waited for her to laugh at the name of the llama, but she didn't. So he continued. "A difficult chap to get along with, mind. A bit too fond of spitting. I was worried about contracting something from him!"

When Amy didn't say anything again, he knew something was wrong. "Come on Amy, say something." He sighed.

"Why aren't I your girlfriend?" She asked bluntly, surprising him.

"Is that the reason for why you're sulking?" The Doctor asked, and from her lack of response, he knew he was right. "Oh Amy! You daft mare! I only said that because the terms 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' don't really fit you and I."

Amy turned her head to look at him. "Really? So we're still—"

"Yes." The Doctor reassured her. "Now, don't ever not talk to me again. Even for just a minute. I get too bored of my own voice."

"You're not the only one!" Amy grinned, and the Doctor took one hand off the steering wheel to jostle her.

~I~

Despite his previous complaints about Earth zoos, the Doctor was having a good time. He'd held a tarantula in the Pet Corner, annoyed when Amy told him that he couldn't keep it, he'd gotten lost in the Longleat maze, only to be rescued by Amy, he'd explored the Longleat manor, even the restricted areas, without getting caught.

It was only then, at the end of their trip, that the Doctor realised that something was bothering him.

He had taken Amy to the animal gift shop, 'World of Wildlife', knowing about her love for cuddly toys. As he watched her ponder between buying a tiger or a lion, though it was unnecessary because he was going to buy both of them for her anyway, he tried to figure out what was troubling at him.

And then, when he turned his gaze towards the counter and saw a crooked nose man serving an elderly woman, he realised what the niggling was.

Rory Williams, Amy's fiancée.

Flashes of the night of their first kiss came back to him, when Amy had told him that she wasn't looking for a long-term relationship.

Was Amy just using him as they travelled together? Did she intend to return to Rory soon to marry him?

But then she'd gotten upset earlier when she thought the Doctor didn't think of her as his girlfriend. Being someone's girlfriend meant a chance at a long-term relationship.

Confused, the Doctor sighed and leant against the wall of the shop. He needed to talk to her, and soon. He had intended to talk to her after their trip to the mechanical alien zoo, but it had slipped his mind. Amy's touch had a lot to do with that; he couldn't think clearly when she'd kissed him like that.

~I~

Meanwhile, Amy realised that she couldn't decide between the tiger and the lion, so she bounded over to the Doctor to get him to choose for her. "Doctor? Which one should I get?" She asked him, waving the cuddly toys at him.

The Doctor gave her a small smile. "I'm buying both of them for you Amy. Here, take this." He said, giving her his wallet.

Amy beamed, and leaned up on her tiptoes to give the Doctor a quick kiss. "Thank you!" She exclaimed happily, hurrying to the counter to pay for her items.

At the till, she opened the Doctor's wallet, stunned at the contents of it. There had to be over a hundred different types of currency.

Finally she found a couple of tens, and she paid for her toys. She knew she was being childish, but she had, and always would have, a love for all things cuddly.

After she'd returned to the Doctor and given him his wallet back, they strolled out of the shop.

The Doctor was silent as they walked, and Amy watched him out of the corner of her eye.

"Don't worry Doctor, I'll make sure my lion doesn't attack you." She joked, in an attempt to break the silence between them.

The Doctor only smiled weakly at her joke, too distressed by the matter on his mind. Amy didn't speak again, and they walked to the TARDIS in silence.

"You go inside." The Doctor said as they stopped outside of his ship. "I'm just going to dismantle the car. I won't be long."

Amy nodded and walked inside of the TARDIS, puzzled by his mood change. She sank down onto one of the chairs by the console, and pulled out the cuddly toys, clutching them to her chest for comfort.

The Doctor only took a few minutes to sort out the Mercedes before he walked into the TARDIS. After setting his ship to autopilot, he turned to face Amy. "We need to talk." He told her quietly.

Amy tightened her hold on her cuddly toys. "About what?"

"About your fiancée."

* * *

**A short chapter, but I had to leave it there because I want to know what you guys think will happen next chapter ;)**

**I'll update within a few days. Promise :)**

**Hayley x**

**p.s Thank you rhiannon for your anonymous review :) I'm so glad you like my writing and my story :D**

**p.p.s Sabrina, haha, you're welcome :) Whoever reviews gets a reply, and I love your reviews; they make me smile :)**

**OMG YES! The 'Gotcha' line in the finale. I was gone. If only she'd said it back eh? Oh, I love them both so much :')**

**Of course I can see their love ;D Now we just need to get rid of Rory, and then Amy and the Doctor can be together foreverrrr :D**

**Thank you sweetie :)**

**OH! And get an account ;p**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **As I promised in my review replies, here's the next chapter :)

* * *

"_We need to talk." He told her quietly. _

_Amy tightened her hold on her cuddly toys. "About what?"_

"_About your fiancée."_

* * *

Amy's worried turned to annoyance. "Why?" She asked flatly.

The Doctor let out a bitter laugh. "Are you really asking me that Amelia?"

"Don't call me that!" She snapped, dropping the toys to the ground. "And yes, I am asking you why! We were having such a great day, and now you're ruining it!"

"I'm ruining it? Excuse me for having a conscience!" The Doctor yelled back, his eyes flashing with anger. "All I want to know is your intentions for Rory and I!"

"If you must know, my first intention was to travel around with you for some time and then return to Rory!" Amy hissed, rising to her feet to glare defiantly at him. "But then it chang—"

"I knew it!" The Doctor muttered, running his hands through his hair agitatedly. "I knew that you were only playing me!"

"Playing you?" Amy repeated in bewilderment. "How can you say that? Now, just let me fin—"

"No!" The Doctor hissed, turning away from her to the console. "You've already said enough. You're going home."

Amy had to blink back tears. "But why?" She whispered brokenly.

"Because I refuse to be Rory's replacement!" The Doctor roared, slamming his hand down on the console. "It's not fair to him, and it's certainly not fair to me!"

"So _now_ you care about Rory's feelings?" She yelled, her temper rising along with his. "You certainly didn't care when you kissed me in the jail cell! And don't you dare deny it!"

"And you _definitely_ didn't care when you tried to seduce me in your bedroom!" The Doctor hollered back.

"Because I wanted you! I _still_ want you!" Amy cried.

"You can't have me whilst you're betrothed to another man!" The Doctor sighed, suddenly feeling defeated. He sank down onto one of the console chairs and dropped his head in his hands.

"Not for long." Amy said softly, and the Doctor raised his head to gaze at her.

"What?" He whispered.

"You just couldn't let me finish, could you?" She hissed, her anger returning. "If you had, maybe you'd know that I want to leave him and travel with you permanently!"

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak, to apologise to her for losing his temper so quickly.

But Amy didn't want to hear his apology. "Just forget it Doctor." She told him sadly. "If you can't even listen to me, then what hope do we have?"

"Amy!" The Doctor whispered hoarsely, his voice thick with unshed tears as he reached out for her.

She stepped back, shaking her head at him. Then she spun around and raced up the TARDIS stairs, loud sobs erupting from her trembling form.

The Doctor turned to the console and erased the destination code for Leadworth. After setting his ship onto autopilot, he returned his head to his hands, crushed from what had just happened with Amy.

His hearts panged at the thought of her alone in a room, crying because of him.

_Don't sit here feeling sorry for yourself, go after her!_

The Doctor flinched at the command from the TARDIS. "She doesn't want me." He muttered, kicking the console with his foot.

_Every girl wants their man to go after them. _

"Really?" The Doctor asked in disbelief. "Won't that make her more upset?"

_You're so dense for your 907 years_. His ship sighed. _Now go!_

The Doctor leaped to his feet and picked up Amy's cuddly toys before racing up the stairs after her. He thought it best not to call out for her, knowing she was likely to run away from him. So he followed the sound of her sobbing instead.

~I~

It didn't take him long to find her, and when he stopped outside of the room that she was in, he couldn't help but shake his head, ironic that she had found the swimming pool at the worst possible time.

He opened the door quietly, and his hearts broke at the sight of her sitting on one of the pool chairs, her knees pulled up to her chest in the foetal position, tears running down her face.

She glanced at the door then, stunned to see the Doctor in the doorway.

"I see that you've found the swimming pool." He commented timidly, giving her a small smile.

Amy managed to give him a weak smile back, but it quickly faded as fresh tears welled up in her eyes.

"Um…I brought you these." The Doctor continued, offering her the toys. "But in the current climate, I'd better take them outside before they get wet." And by taking them outside, he meant throwing them behind him.

This time Amy did smile, but she quickly ducked her head to hide it from the Doctor. But his senses were too sharp.

Elated that he'd made her smile, even for just a moment, he started to walk towards her. "Is that a smile Pond?" He asked her, unable to keep himself from smiling along with her. "Yeah, I thought so."

Before Amy could think of a reply, the Doctor slipped over on the wet tile, and with arms flailing, he fell onto the cold surface. "Oh for the love of fish custard!" He yelled, pulling himself up again. "I try and make a dignified apology, and then this happens!"

Amy couldn't help but break into giggles at the Doctor's clumsiness.

"Yes, you may as well laugh at my expense!" The Doctor snapped, though secretly he was relieved that he'd managed to cheer her up. "Just laugh at a 907 year old alien falling to the floor. I'm technically an OAP, show me some respect!"

This time the tears rolling down Amy's face were tears of laughter. "Oh Doctor!" She spluttered. "What am I going to do with you?"

The Doctor took that as an opportunity to begin his apology. "Forgive me, and never leave me." He whispered, crawling along the tile to kneel next to her.

Amy stopped laughing too, and she gazed at him, an unreadable expression on her face.

After a few moments of silence, the Doctor couldn't take it anymore. "Are you going to forgive me or not? Because my trousers are getting ruined and quite frankly, this is—"

But Amy's lips on his silenced him.

"Okay…" The Doctor said slowly after she pulled back. "That was nice, but am I forgiven?"

The devious glint returned to Amy's eyes, and she stood up, pulling the Doctor up with her. "Oh Doctor, you're so…" She trailed off then, running her hand down his chest, smirking when she heard him gulp, "…thick."

The Doctor couldn't even think of a comeback, too distracted by Amy's hand on his chest. He was vaguely aware of her pushing him backwards, but he didn't think anything of it.

Until she pushed him into the swimming pool.

The Doctor was immediately submerged into the water, but being a strong swimmer, he managed to swim back to the surface easily.

When he emerged, he glared at her. "What was that for?" He asked her, baffled.

"That was for making me cry." She growled, glaring down at him. "Now you're going to float there for a minute while I tell you some rules, okay?"

The Doctor nodded wordlessly, too stunned to speak.

"One, I _will_ break off my engagement to Rory. But I'll do it when I'm ready. I will tell you when it's time, but until then, you're going to have to wait patiently. Two, if you ever shout at me like that again, I'll kick your backside. Three, my name is Amy, not Amelia. And four, don't throw my belongings around. When you're dry, you're going to pick up the lion and the tiger and place them in my bedroom. Neatly. Got it?"

He nodded again.

Finally, Amy smiled. "Good. Now, I'm going to bed."

As she turned away from him, the Doctor grinned, thinking that he'd got off lightly.

But Amy was too smart for him. "And Doctor, you still have to earn my forgiveness. Don't think you've got it easy from now on." She told him sternly, without turning around to face him.

The Doctor's grin faded. He was in trouble.

But despite the mess he'd gotten himself into, he was just glad that he had his Amy back.

* * *

**Teehee!**

**Sorry if I made you think that Rory was coming back ;D**

**He plays a big part later on in the story, but not anytime soon. **

**The next chapter will be up ASAP. Probably Saturday or Sunday :)**

**Hayley x**

**And now to my anonymous reviewer :D**

**LilyHale21, thank you for your review :D**

**That's a good idea, but I already have plans for those characters ;)**

**And thank you for your kind words, I'm glad that you like my story :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **This chapter has no drama in it whatsoever :) Enjoy the fluff :D

* * *

Time was ageless in the TARDIS. Amy didn't know how long she'd been sleeping, but she woke up feeling well rested and serene.

Until she heard the Doctor yelling from another room in the ship.

Groaning, she climbed out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown, pulling a face at her tousled hair in her bedroom mirror. It was nothing compared to the Doctor's bed head though, so she left it and hurried out of the room to find him.

It didn't take her very long; the Doctor's shouting was very loud, allowing Amy to find him quite quickly.

He was in the TARDIS kitchen, and Amy paused in the doorway to watch him. He had flour on his face and his hair was dishevelled, even more than normal. He was dressed in blue pinstriped pyjamas, and Amy had to smother a laugh when she noticed his blue bow tie. He had an unhealthy obsession with those.

He appeared to be reading from a cookbook, and judging by the mess on the walls and along the kitchen sides, his cooking wasn't going very well.

"Why are you telling me that I need yeast _now_, you pathetic excuse for a bread recipe!" The Doctor seethed, waving a wooden spoon in the air. "You could have told me that before I put the bread in the oven!"

He spun around to open the oven, and caught sight of Amy in the doorway. His eyes widened, and he froze, almost as if she'd caught him doing something bad. "Uh…morning Amy!" He spluttered, unable to keep the surprise on his face. "You're not supposed to be up yet!"

Grinning, Amy stepped into the kitchen. "Well, it's a bit hard to sleep when you're yelling. What's up?"

The Doctor's face fell. "It was supposed to be a surprise." He mumbled. "I was making you breakfast in bed. Or, I was trying to. Bread hates me."

Amy was touched by his effort, and she stopped in front of him. "Any reason why you're doing that for me?" She asked, smiling warmly at him.

He looked sheepish then. "You know, to apologise for shouting at you."

Amy's smile became a beam. "No one has ever made such an effort for me before. Thank you." She slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips gently to his.

"You shouldn't be thanking me, I failed. Drastically." He sighed, feeling himself relax in her embrace.

"Doctor, you tried. And that means so much to me."

The Doctor smiled for the first time that day. "Well, I'm glad. Though I would have loved to have been able to cook for you. 907 years old, and my culinary skills are still rubbish!"

Laughing, Amy released him. "Right. Why don't you let me take over? Just sit down and let me cook for you."

Having Amy cook for him was something the Doctor couldn't turn down, so he was more than happy to perch on the counter and watch her.

Amy wasn't a brilliant cook either, but she managed to whip up some pancakes, and much to her distaste, tomato soup. The Doctor insisted that he couldn't eat his pancakes without it.

Once they'd sat down to eat, Amy began to pour syrup over her pancakes. The Doctor could only watch her in disgust.

She caught his gaze, and frowned. "What's that face for?"

The Doctor shuddered. "That face is for the syrup. How can you eat it?"

Amy took a bite out of her pancake. "It's heaven Doctor. How can you not like it?" She asked after she'd swallowed her mouthful.

"It's sticky and gold. Need I say more?"

"It's much more suited to pancakes than tomato soup is!" Amy shot back, her nose wrinkling at the sight of the Doctor's breakfast.

The Doctor waggled his finger at her. "I beg to differ! It's a great combination." Almost to prove himself, he bit into his pancake and gave a small moan of delight. "Besides, tomato is a fruit, so it's no different from putting strawberry sauce on pancakes."

"Whatever you say Doctor!" Amy muttered, turning her attention to her breakfast.

After they'd both eaten, and after the Doctor had tried to get Amy to kiss him, something she'd refused to do until he'd brushed his teeth, they debated on where to go next.

Whilst they were looking for outfits, the Doctor suddenly bolted upright, banging his head on the rail of the wardrobe. "I know where we can go!" He announced, rubbing his head with one hand and pulling out a pair of swimming trunks with the other. "The Fountain of Hartraphilia! I did say that I'd take you there."

Amy's eyes lit up, much to the Doctor's joy. "The place where the Heartreep lived before they became extinct?"

At the Doctor's nod, she squealed and pulled out a green bikini. "This is going to be great!"

~I~

"Now, there is only one thing you must remember to do." The Doctor told Amy as they strolled hand-in-hand to the fountain. "Stick your hand into the water so the Heartreeps can get your scent, and remember, don't be alarmed when they pull you in."

"That's two things." Amy replied teasingly, which resulted in a playful shove from the Doctor.

"All joking aside, it's important that the species gets your scent. If not, they'll believe you're an enemy if you enter the fountain without their permission."

"Shouldn't they be used to humans though, as they inhabit the land too?" Amy asked randomly, running her fingers along the long blades of grass as they walked.

"The humans that live here kill the Heartreep for sport and food." The Doctor replied gravely. "In ten years, all of the Heartreep will be dead, killed by the humans here."

"That's awful!" Amy muttered, shaking her head in sorrow. "I can't believe that I'm from the same species as them!"

"You're not." The Doctor reassured her. "The humans here aren't from Planet Earth, they're just called humans because they share the most characteristics with them. They're more animalistic than you are."

Amy wasn't convinced. "Even so, what they do to the Heartreeps is unforgivable. I'd like to kick all of their backsides. Twice."

The Doctor smiled affectionately at his fiery-tempered companion. "I know you would." He replied, a proud tone to his voice. "But nonetheless, we're here to enjoy history, not change it."

"We're observers only." Amy quoted him from their trip to Starship UK.

"Exactly!" He exclaimed, trying to fight the urge to run back to the TARDIS and grab his magnifying glass to survey everything. "And here we are!"

Amy couldn't help but gasp at the sight of the fountain as they emerged from the trees.

Large boulders surrounded a pool of water, and the only sound was the loud roar of the fountain as the water fell into the pool. The colour of the water was a light blue topaz, and the surface glittered under the yellow sun.

Grinning, Amy released the Doctor's hand and ran up to the lake, sticking her hand into the water eagerly.

Seeing Amy's excitement ignited the Doctor's, and he rushed up to the pool to join her, finding her hand in the water and entwining his finger with hers.

Suddenly a Heartreep swam up to the surface and enveloped their hands into its mouth. Amy was too stunned by the beauty of the alien fish to realise their hands were inside it's mouth, and she was plunged into the water, the Doctor right beside her.

She'd expected that she wouldn't be able to stay underwater with the Heartreeps for very long, knowing that she'd have to stay near the surface to breathe, so she was surprised when she found herself breathing normally in the water.

She shot the Doctor a confused look, but he just nodded at her, grinning, unable to speak from underwater.

He gestured with his arms for her to go ahead, and she took his hint, swimming away after the Heartreep that had pulled them in.

She was amazed when the Heartreep stopped and turned to face her, and instead of being afraid of its mammoth size, she was in awe of the creature. She tentatively reached out with her hand to stroke its scales; unsure whether it was a careful thing to do.

But the Heartreep rubbed its large body against her hand, and a smile spread across Amy's face.

The Doctor had never taken her to a better place.

Amy turned her head to face him, wanting to share this moment with him, but he was on the opposite side of the water, his whole body wrapped around a Heartreep as it swam around in circles.

He was in no danger; that was the way Heartreeps showed affection.

The Heartreep by Amy swam closer to her, and she quickly embraced it the same way the Doctor was to his. It began to spin her around, and she caught the Doctor's eye as they span, and he beamed at her.

This was a trip that they'd never forget.

* * *

**Let me know what you thought of the chapter :D**

**Hayley x**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **I swear I have the best reviewers in the World. Thank you so much for your support!

This chapter is sad…and kind of short. I promise when this year of Sixth Form is over, I'll be updating longer chapters as I'll have more time :)

* * *

Amy was having such an amazing time. She had spent hours with the Heartreeps, swimming with every one. She was still in complete awe of the beautiful fish, and they warmed to her quickly because of it.

The Heartreeps loved the Doctor as well, though he teased them a bit more than Amy did, taking their food plant so that they had to chase him around the pool to get it back.

Amy didn't think anything could spoil their time there.

And then the sound of running horses filled the air. The Heartreeps began to thrash around in the water, and the Doctor and Amy had to swim to the surface to avoid being hit by them.

Once they'd reached the top of the water, the Doctor managed to see what the commotion was about. Amy didn't, so when she saw the Doctor's panicked face, she knew it was something bad.

The Doctor grabbed Amy's hand, and together, they swam quickly across the surface of the water, away from the Heartreeps.

Before Amy could ask the Doctor what was wrong, an arrow flew over one of the boulders and stabbed a Heartreep in its chest. It flailed in the water before becoming still, its purple blood seeping into the water, like ink.

The other Heartreeps began to wail, crying for the loss of one of their own, and Amy screamed along with them.

The Doctor clamped his hand over her mouth; unshed tears sparkling in his eyes.

"We have to get out of here, _now_!"

Fighting her own tears, Amy swam with him, and when they came to a gap between the boulders, the Doctor climbed out, helping her out as well.

They quickly ducked into the gap and hid behind the boulder, allowing them a good vantage point of the fountain without being seen.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Amy whispered fearfully, feeling tears stream down her face at the sight of the dead, floating Heartreep at the top of the water.

"The human hunters are here." He muttered back gravely, wrapping his arms around her and holding her against him tightly.

Suddenly there was a loud yell of 'Fire!' and about a hundred arrows launched over the boulders on the opposite side to Amy and the Doctor, landing in the pool.

Though the fountain was loud, Amy could hear the Heartreep's screams of pain over the water, and she pressed her face against the Doctor's chest, unsure whether the droplets on his chest were from the water or from her tears.

She felt the Doctor's own tears drop into her hair, and she kissed his neck comfortingly.

"It's times like this when I wish I could change History." He murmured brokenly, and Amy nodded her agreement.

She dared a peek at the pool, and wished she hadn't after what she saw there. There were now over forty Heartreeps lying dead on the surface of the water, and there were humans in the water, wrapping their bodies in nets and dragging them towards land.

"They're heartless!" Amy cried, her voice choked from emotion. "I could…I could…" She was too angry to speak then, and she clenched her hands into fists, wanting to go over there and hurt every single human that had killed an innocent Heartreep.

"I know." The Doctor whispered, stroking her hair soothingly. "Me too."

~I~

It took the humans an hour to gather all of the bodies of the dead Heartreeps, and when they had gone, Amy and the Doctor emerged from their hiding place.

The remaining Heartreeps were still crying, and Amy could feel herself crying again as she saw that the water was no longer a sparkling blue. Instead, it was a bleak grey, coloured from the blood of the dead creatures.

"I was right when I thought that this a trip was one we'd never forget." She said sadly, and the Doctor slipped his hand into hers.

"I had no idea that the humans would hunt now. The Heartreep don't become extinct for another ten years. We must have come here right before their grand, yearly feast." The Doctor told her gravely. "Something tells me that we won't be going to that party."

Amy just shook her head and turned away from the fountain, too upset to keep looking at what had been lost. As she began to walk back to the TARDIS, the Doctor whispered: "I'm sorry."

She frowned in confusion, and turned around to face him. "For what?"

"For taking you here. I've just ruined what should have been a beautiful trip. I've failed you again."

"You haven't failed me!" She insisted, walking back over to him. "It was still a beautiful trip, and I will never thank you enough for taking me. Swimming with the Heartreeps was one of the most amazing things we've done so far."

The Doctor didn't look fully reassured, but he managed a small smile, and together, they walked back to the TARDIS.

Once they were back in the ship, the Doctor set the TARDIS on autopilot, letting it float among the stars of Earth in the 13th century.

And then he gave Amy something that he should have given her whilst they were standing next to the pool of bloody water.

A hug.

He wrapped his arms around her and drew her against his chest, sighing in contentment when she slipped her arms around his waist. She wasn't the only one who needed a hug.

"Hey." He whispered in her ear. "Gotcha."

Amy smiled, remembering when she'd uttered that word to him when she'd comforted him on Starship UK.

"Gotcha too." She whispered back, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

They were both content to hold each other for a few minutes, until the Doctor noticed her shivering in her bikini.

"Let me get us some towels." He said quietly, withdrawing reluctantly and heading to the chest in one of the alcoves in the console room.

Amy sank down on one of the console chairs, and the Doctor joined her shortly afterwards, wrapping a towel tenderly around her shoulders.

"Hey Doctor?" Amy said quietly, curling up against him. "Can you tell me about the Heartreeps? I want to know everything."

The Doctor smiled and rested his head on top of hers. "I most definitely can. But it's better if I show you."

He placed his fingers gently on her temples, and Amy closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep to tales of the most magnificent creatures she'd ever encountered: the Heartreeps.

* * *

**Sorry for killing some of the Heartreeps :\**

**When my best friend read this chapter, she yelled at me for ages. She was a fan of the fish.**

**Don't worry, maybe that won't be the last we see of them… ;)**

**Hayley x**

**My anonymous reviewers:**

**Thea, AGREED. Matt Smith in a Tux = RAWR. ****I would do anything to kill Rory next series. Him and Amy = bleurgh. ****Thank you for your review, I'm happy that you're enjoying my story :)**

**Sarah, thank you so much for reading my story in one go, and I'm so glad that you liked every chapter :) I promise more romance and fluff, but also a little heartbreak ;) Thanks for reviewing :D**


	15. Chapter 15

******Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews :D They make my day, and I love replying to them. I actually cried at your praise. That sounds silly, but your words mean so much to me. It's my dream to be an author…it's just a shame that the Doctor and Amy aren't my own characters haha.**

**Anyway, this chapter is sort of a foreshadowing event for what will happen later on in the story. It will be kind of obvious what episode of Doctor Who I have based it on haha ;)**

**Enjoy!**

**(Oh, and if you want to read another Eleven/Amy fic after this one, I suggest you check out 'Red hair, Romance and Reality?' from ashredfern414, who is such a talented writer. You can find her story on my favourites :D )**

* * *

The Doctor was doing everything he could to make Amy forget about what had happened to the Heartreeps, despite her assurance that she was fine.

He'd taken her on a romantic trip to Venice; though the romance was lost when they found out they were staying in a town full of vampires, that weren't actually vampires. Big fish from space was a better definition.

The Doctor had been disappointed that the trip hadn't served its purpose of being a peaceful, relaxing break, though Amy had certainly enjoyed it. Her favourite moment was when the Doctor fought an alien called Francesco with a broomstick, and she'd kissed him passionately afterwards, not caring about the alien slime he was covered in.

After they'd saved Venice from being sunk, the Doctor whisked Amy off to the Musée D'Orsay in Paris to show her some of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings, an artist she had a great interest in.

But after spotting a monster's face in a church in one of Van Gogh's paintings, they'd set off to 1890 to meet the artist himself.

That promised to be a good trip. But the Doctor once again felt like that he'd disappointed her, especially as he watched her face fall when she'd realised that their meeting with him hadn't affected the artist at all. Vincent had still committed suicide at the young age of 37.

The Doctor had explained that they had meant something to him; they'd shown him that his life would be remembered, more reverently than it was when he was alive. They'd given him hope, and inspiration to keep painting. And Amy had a greater effect on the artist; he'd truly begun to fall in love with her. The Doctor couldn't even be jealous; the man was Vincent Van Gogh after all!

After they'd returned to the TARDIS, Amy had been quiet, and silence was something that the Doctor couldn't stand.

So to break the silence, he was his normal eccentric self. Running around the console, he hit levers and random buttons, all the while yelling, "Las Vegas or New York? Both fantastic places! We must sample some American cuisine at some point; Fish fingers and custard can only satiate a time lord for so long!"

"Actually Doctor, I'm just going to go to bed." Amy replied quietly, giving him a soft smile as she ascended up the console stairs. "I'll see you soon."

The Doctor lost his energy then, and he fell onto one of the console chairs. "Okay, we'll go somewhere tomorrow." He said dejectedly, but Amy had already gone.

He wasn't tired; he'd had enough sleep for one week, so he decided to tinker with the TARDIS until Amy was ready to explore again. Fixing up the TARDIS was a great distraction from worrying about his failure to restore Amy's spirits.

~I~

But the Doctor hadn't failed Amy at all. Quite the opposite. She'd loved their trips to France and Italy, and wished that they could go somewhere else, but she was simply too tired.

She was also distracted by a moment that she'd shared with the Doctor at the museum.

"_If we had got married, our kids would have had very, very red hair." She commented quietly, gazing at Vincent's famous portrait of a vase of sunflowers, a painting dedicated just to her. _

"_The ultimate ginger." The Doctor grinned._

"_The ultimate ginge." _

_The Doctor laughed, and Amy felt a small smile grace her lips. _

"_Brighter than sunflowers." She whispered, and the Doctor placed his arm around her, drawing her into his side. _

At the time, Amy had been talking about having Vincent's children. But when her and the Doctor were back outside and heading towards the TARDIS, an image of the Doctor holding a small child in his arms appeared in her head. She knew instantly that the child was theirs.

It was stupid to think about things like that, but Amy couldn't erase that image from her head. She liked that image. She liked it a lot.

Sighing at the impossibility of it ever happening, she climbed into bed and pulled the duvet over her head, believing that going to sleep would be a sure way of erasing that image.

~I~

"_There is absolutely no way on Earth that you are getting me on that!" The Doctor said stubbornly, folding his arms across his chest._

"_Actually, you're not on Earth!" A heavily pregnant Amy called from the park bench, and she laughed when he stuck his tongue out at her. He was worse than their daughter._

"_Please daddy!" Their little girl whimpered, tugging on his tweed jacket. "Mummy said that she'd give you your screwdriver back if you played with me!"_

_The Doctor snapped his gaze back to his wife. "When did you take that?" He asked her in disbelief, frowning when she pulled it out of her bag and waved it smugly at him._

"_When you were hyperventilating over going on a roundabout." She replied, grinning. "Now get on, or I'll use the screwdriver to go into labour."_

_Her husband's face paled at that thought. "Right. Not good. I suppose I have no choice now!"_

"_None at all." Amy smirked._

_Groaning dramatically, the Doctor took his small daughter's hand and followed her over to the ghastly contraption. _

_Amy was in hysterics as she watched the Doctor squeeze his eyes shut as their child pressed the 'Go' button. He was less composed than her, he screamed and she squealed, "Geronimo!" as the roundabout spun them around the park. This was no ordinary Earth playground._

_The ride stopped after a minute, and Amy had to hold her sides because they were hurting from laughing too much._

"_I'm glad you find this amusing." The Doctor groaned as he climbed off the roundabout, his face green from motion sickness. "You won't be laughing when I vomit all over the place."_

"_You'll refrain from being sick if you don't want me to use this!" Amy replied, waving the screwdriver at him again._

_The Doctor rolled his eyes, before turning to their daughter. "Could you get the TARDIS for me? Everything's all blurry."_

_With a sharp snap of her fingers, their little girl summoned the TARDIS straight to them. Amy had never managed that, despite the number of years that she'd spent with the Doctor. _

_As ill as the Doctor felt, he still helped Amy to her feet. _

"_I smell custard!" Their daughter cried gleefully, her red hair fanning around her as she twirled around the TARDIS. _

"_Not again!" Amy groaned as she opened the TARDIS door; the Doctor was in no condition to unlock it in his state. _

"_Yes again!" The Doctor and their child yelled as they gave each other a high-five. Or attempted to. _

_The Doctor used too much force, and his arm went straight over her head, and he toppled onto the floor. _

_Amy shook her head at her daughter as she tried to help her father up. "Just leave him there Maddie. He'll get up when he smells his fish fingers burning."_

~I~

Jolting awake, Amy shot out of bed, stunned by how real her dream had felt. She glanced at her reflection, and realised she was beaming from the memory of her dream.

She had never really had a maternal or family urge, but after having that dream where she shared that with the Doctor; it changed things completely.

Feeling much brighter than she'd had in days, she quickly dressed and headed to the console room. "Morning!" She called as she descended down the stairs.

The Doctor banged the floor underneath her feet and waved to her, and Amy giggled at his ridiculous goggles, though she did think that they were rather endearing.

"You look like you're in a better mood!" He shouted over the noise of his hammering. "Have a nice sleep?"

"The best sleep!" She replied happily, hurrying down the stairs to join him. "And now, I think it's time for another holiday!"

The Doctor stopped his hammering. "Where do you want to go?" He asked, smiling at seeing her so happy.

"Can't you guess? I'm wearing shorts!" She grinned, gesturing down to her outfit.

"Somewhere hot?"

"You bet! Now take off those goggles, I don't want you to get white panda eyes. We're off to Hawaii!"

* * *

**And now we will launch into a mini-story of about five chapters, with many turning points to Amy and the Doctor's relationship. I hope that you'll enjoy their journey :)**

**Hayley x**

**To my dear anonymous reviewers…**

**Elizabeth, I'm touched that you read all of my story :) I understand that long stories can put people off, but I'm glad you stuck with mine. Thank you so much :D x**

**Jemima, don't worry about it :) I'm just glad you're still reading :D Haha, hope your mum didn't think you were crazy ;) x**

**Lizzy, thank you very much :D Glad you like it! x**

**Just Amy, wow, thank you so much! Haha, it's like I'm really talking to Amy Pond. I hope you continue to enjoy my story :) x**


	16. Chapter 16

****

Disclaimer : I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: The first part of the mini-story…who's excited? Haha!**

**I already have the majority of the next chapter written…it's a long one…so you may get that very soon :)**

**Also, I'm uploading a new Amy/Eleven story this week sometime if I ever get around to writing it. It's a one-shot, and it's set after the wedding in 'The Big Bang', and let's just say, Amy does get her snog in the shrubbery…amongst other places!**

**AmyPondEleven, Just Amy and Jessica, kisses to all three of you for your anonymous reviews! I'm thrilled that you like my story :) And Jessica, to answer your question, that was the first time they'd visited Venice.**

* * *

Once they arrived in Hawaii, Amy ran out of the TARDIS immediately, only to be halted by the setting she was looking at. Her excited smile fell, and she turned around to glare at the Doctor, who was still playing around with the TARDIS controls.

"Hey Doctor? Tell me again what Hawaii is like in 2146."

"Oh it's beautiful!" He exclaimed happily from inside of his ship. "White sandy beaches, clear blue water, floating tropical flowers—"

"I don't see any tropical flowers Doctor."

"Huh. Maybe I didn't park in the jungle like I'd planned." He muttered; studying the typewriter he'd used to enter the destination code to 2146 Hawaii.

Amy bit her tongue from telling him that where they'd parked was definitely not Hawaii. Instead, she decided to wind him up a bit. "So, there's lots of lava in Hawaii, yeah?"

"Lava? No, unless we're inside one of the Hawaiian volcanoes."

That was exactly where they were.

"And Hawaii is rockier in 136 years time?" Amy continued.

"Rockier? You mean with their music? Well sure! Rock is better in this time period!" To emphasise his point, the Doctor mimed playing an air guitar, and nodded his head up and down quickly to an imaginary beat.

"No, I meant the landscape." She replied, which instantly caught the Doctor's attention, and he stopped his rock antics.

"But that's not…" The Doctor left his sentence unfinished as he rushed to join Amy outside of the TARDIS, and when he saw where they were, he burst into laughter. "Hey, I was close to Hawaii!"

"You were close?" Amy repeated incredulously. "Where's my white, sandy beach then?"

"Hawaii is a volcanic island, and we're in a volcano. Can't get much closer than that!"

"If this is a volcano, shouldn't we be dead from the heat?" Amy asked him, stepping forward to get a better view of their setting.

"See, the funny thing is, I don't think this is actually a volcano. At least, not one from a recent century." He replied. "I think I may have set the wrong co-ordinates."

"You don't say!" Amy muttered, but she couldn't help but smile at the Doctor's mistake. No wonder he'd vanished for twelve years when she'd first met him.

Whilst the Doctor headed back into the TARDIS, Amy decided to explore their new destination.

The TARDIS had landed in an alcove, and when Amy stepped out of it, she saw the vast volcano for the first time. She was standing on a ridge that seemed to go around the whole volcano, and when she squinted, she could see stairs on the other side.

She stepped closer to the edge, and noticed that the lava she'd seen when they'd first arrived was nothing compared to the large pool of molten lava at the bottom of the volcano.

"I hope you don't erupt, because these are my favourite shorts." Amy muttered to herself, peering over the edge.

"I figured it out!" The Doctor bellowed suddenly from behind her, and Amy jumped, wobbling precariously on the edge.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, and the Doctor yanked her backwards. "Careful Pond! Can't afford to be clumsy in a volcano!" He said cheerfully, kissing the top of her head affectionately.

"Clumsy? It was your fault I nearly—" She stopped at the Doctor's raised eyebrows. "Sorry. You saved me. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Disrupting and saving lives is part of my job description. Now, where was I before you interrupted me?"

Amy snorted at that. "Careful Doctor. Or that beloved tweed jacket of yours will take a dunk in the lava."

The Doctor knew she was serious. "Okay! I'm sorry! Let me rephrase. Now, where was I before I rescued my beautiful companion?"

Amy nodded her approval. "Better. And you were about to tell me why we'd landed here, and not in Hawaii."

"Because I put a seven instead of a one. Those pesky numbers always look the same!" The Doctor replied, shaking his head in annoyance.

"You mean in the year?"

"Well done Pond!" He exclaimed sarcastically, ruffling her hair. "Glad to see your near-fall didn't cause you to lose any brain cells."

Amy was about to make a cunning retort, but the Doctor continued to speak. "We're in the year 2746, and this is Hawaii. This volcano we're in right now erupted 173 years ago, killing every civilian on the island. It's now just wasteland. Well, with the exception of this volcano, of course. It's dormant, completely dead, so there is no radiation or heat. We're safe."

"So why is there lava at the bottom of the volcano?" Amy asked, looking over the edge again.

"It's artificial. Someone has placed it here. And I want to know who it was."

"I think I know where they are." Amy told him, pointing to the stairs on the other side of the volcano.

A grin spread across the Doctor's face. "Amy Jessica Pond, you are magnificent." He kissed her briefly before taking her hand and tugging her along the rim of the volcano.

Amy glowed from his praise. "Thanks. Well, I try!"

The Doctor squeezed her hand before turning his eyes away from her face to the top of the volcano. Amy followed his gaze. "So, who do you think will be up there?" She asked him eagerly. "Blue aliens? Purple space monkeys with green teeth?"

"Space monkeys are more of a burgundy colour." The Doctor corrected, and Amy rolled her eyes.

"Burgundy is a darkish purple." She stated.

"It's more red than purple."

Amy sighed in exasperation. "Let's just call it even and say that burgundy is purple and red. Now, do you think I'm about to meet my first group of space monkeys?"

The Doctor chuckled. "Deal. And no, I don't think so. Monkeys aren't sent into space for at least another 1200 years. It takes them quite a while to adopt all human mannerisms."

"I was only joking about the space monkeys." Amy told him. "But now that they're real, I want to meet them. Let's head back to the TARDIS and find some."

The Doctor stared incredulously at her, and she smiled innocently back at him. "You are monkey boy after all!"

"Monkey boy!" He repeated with a snort. "I gave you the name of 'Guardian of my Happiness', and you give me 'Monkey Boy.' Thanks very much!"

"You're very welcome!"

"You know what, I'm changing your nickname." The Doctor announced. "If I have to be Monkey Boy, then you can be Orang-utan."

He expected Amy to laugh, so he was confused when she glared at him. "Oi! Leave my red hair out of this!" She hissed.

"Why? I love your hair colour, so I include your hair colour."

Amy narrowed her eyes slightly. "Are you sure you're not taking the mick?"

"Why would I do that? I've always wanted to be ginger!" The Doctor protested. "I've had ten tries, and I still haven't got it right!"

"And I got it right in one go." Amy replied, unable to resist smirking at the Doctor.

He nudged her with his shoulder. "It's rude to brag. Anyway, you still haven't explained to me why the term orang-utan is offensive to you."

"Surely you've been in my time period long enough to know that having red hair isn't something that's considered a good thing. Things were hard when I was growing up. People teased me about my red hair all of the time. And they called me orang-utan." She admitted. "So you can see why I hate the name."

"They bullied you for having ginger hair?" The Doctor realised, bewildered. "That's ridiculous! I'd die for red hair! And I have, many times, but here I am, brunette and boring."

Amy giggled, knowing that he was trying to brighten the mood. "Yeah, they did. But it's okay. I like being different. Originality is something to be celebrated after all."

"I couldn't agree more!" The Doctor enthused as they finally reached the stairs. "Original is the one word that I'd use to describe myself."

"I can think of other words." Amy murmured under her breath, though she should have known that the Doctor would have heard her.

"Really? And what are your words?" He asked her curiously as they ascended. "And monkey boy counts as two words, so you can't include that."

"I can count y'know! Unlike _someone_ who can't tell the difference between one and seven!" Amy teased.

The Doctor groaned. "I made one mistake! It won't happen again."

"One mistake?" Amy repeated in disbelief. "Doctor, you make mistakes everyday!"

"Name two I've made today." He challenged.

"Putting in the wrong destination code, wearing your shirt inside-out, forgetting to brush your hair, putting chocolate into the microwave—

"Okay Pond, you've made your point!" The Doctor interrupted hastily. "Now, back to those words you use to describe me."

Amy rattled them all off in one breath, and the Doctor was grateful for his enhanced senses so he could understand all of them. "Geeky. Hot. Idiotic. Intelligent. Silly. Kind. Immature. Hilarious. Compassionate. Amazing."

The Doctor thought over those words for a minute. "Hmm…there were quite a few contrasting words in there. How can I be idiotic yet intelligent?"

"Because you can give me every formula in the universe but you can't figure out when a girl is coming onto you!" Amy quipped.

"Fair enough. I'll work on that. And I think I heard the word hot somewhere in there. Care to expand on that?"

Smiling impishly, Amy released his hand and hurried up the rest of the stairs. "Nope!" She called over her shoulder. "I think that word says enough!"

Adopting a similar grin to her, he began to race after her. "Hey Pond! If you want to—"

But his sentence was abruptly cut off by Amy's angry cry. "Get your bloody hands off me!"

Sprinting now, the Doctor reached the top of the stairs to see Amy behind held by a man in a spacesuit, a gun pressed to her temple.

Another man stepped out from behind them, and when he removed his helmet, Amy and the Doctor's stunned expressions mirrored each other's exactly.

Because it wasn't just any man.

It was Rory.

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**Oh no! Cliff-hanger!**

**Sorry for leaving it there ;)**

**Review, and you may get the next chapter very soon ;)**

**Hayley x**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.**

**A/N: Nearly on 200 reviews ;O Thank you so much!**

**I uploaded a new story today, like I promised last chapter, so if you have the time, I'd appreciate it if you read it :) It's called, 'It's Always Been You.'**

**Anyhow, sorry for leaving you in suspense last chapter, but I updated very quickly so you have to forgive me ;) **

Amy gasped when she saw her fiancée, though regretted it when she felt the man press his gun harder against her temple.

To her surprise, the Doctor threw his arms around him. "Rory!" He cried joyfully, hugging the confused man tightly. "Brilliant, fantastic Rory! The best Nurse from Leadworth! I'm so glad that you're here!"

"Get him idiot!" The man holding Amy yelled, though Rory ignored him.

"How did you know that I was a nurse from Leadworth?" He asked the Doctor curiously.

"It's me, the Doctor!" The Doctor replied, slapping his back heartily. "Surely you know who I am!"

"My name's Ronald, not Rory. And I'm afraid that I don't recognise you Sir."

Realisation dawned on the Doctor. "You must be Rory's descendant. Never mind. Anyway, Ror-Ronald, how about we head to wherever you're staying and we can talk? Oh, and if you could get your friend to release Amy, that would be fantastic."

Amy felt herself relax at Ronald's agreement, but his friend wasn't so easy to win over. "For goodness sake!" He growled, throwing Amy onto the ground, causing the Doctor to cry out and rush over to her.

As he helped Amy to her feet, the man stabbed him with a dart, and when the Doctor collapsed, Amy rounded on him. She kicked the man in the shin, before he grabbed her again and stabbed her with a different dart, sending her into unconsciousness as well.

~I~

Minutes later, Amy opened her eyes, blearily looking up at the ceiling. The bright white lights shining down on her made her shut her eyes, and she turned her head away.

But as her cheek made contact with cold metal, she opened them again, and saw the Doctor strapped to a table next to hers. He was lying spread-eagle on the table, with metal clamps around his wrists and ankles, securing him down.

When the Doctor noticed she had awoken, he turned his head and grinned at her. "Hello sleepyhead! About time you woke up. You had me worried for a second; I thought you were dead. But then you snored."

Amy ignored his jibe. "Where are we?" She whispered, raising her head to gaze at their surroundings, noticing she was chained to a table in the same way to the Doctor.

"From what I can tell, a research laboratory." He told her thoughtfully.

Amy caught sight of Ronald and the man who had knocked them out on the opposite side of the lab. "What are those people going to do to us?" She hissed, glaring at them.

"I don't know, the Rory look-alike and the gorilla bloke have been arguing for the past five minutes." He replied, watching them as well.

The two men moved then, heading to a large white machine. When the Doctor saw them using it, he muttered, "Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh?" Amy echoed him. "That doesn't sound good."

"Normally when someone says 'uh-oh', it _isn't_ something good." The Doctor pointed out, causing Amy to turn her glare on him.

"Alright then smarty-pants, what was the 'uh-oh' for?"

"They're going to run some tests on us to find out who and what we are. Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"But you said 'uh-oh'!" Amy replied worriedly. "Was the 'uh-oh' for yourself?"

The Doctor didn't reply, so Amy knew that he was right. "Those bastards!" She cried out, causing the two men to glance in their direction. Ronald looked away quickly, but the other man grinned wolfishly at her.

"You can take that grin right off your face!" Amy yelled. "When I get out of this thing, I swear to God I'm going to shove your gun right up where the sun doesn't shine!"

"Looking forward to it!" He called back. "My name's Chris, what's yours beautiful?"

"My first name is 'fuck' and my surname is 'off'!"

The Doctor beamed with pride, proud of her fierceness and the way she was responding to Chris's flirtation. He felt his hearts swell with love at the fact that she belonged to him only. Amy was his.

"Chris, we should start the process." Ronald said to his friend. "It's not fair to keep them chained to the table for any longer than necessary."

"See, this is the problem with you Ronald." Chris commented as he rolled the machine over to Amy. "You're boring. Anyone else would love to have a hot red-head chained up."

"The only heat you're going to feel from me is anger when my fist connects with your face!" Amy hissed, and the Doctor snorted with amusement.

Chris seemed unfazed by her threats. "You know, the position you're in would look very good in my bedroom." He drawled.

The Doctor grinned at that, knowing exactly what he was thinking, before realising that only he should have those thoughts. "Leave her alone!" He growled; his grin replaced by a furious glare.

"Oh, I see…you two are together!" Chris realised, before letting out a low whistle. "Mate, this must be killing you, knowing I can—

"Chris!" Ronald barked. "Start the process!"

Chris stopped the innuendos then, and focused on hooking Amy up to the machine. She flinched every time he touched her skin, hating the way he had to clamp her skin with metal clamps so the wires could connect her to the machine.

"What is he doing to me?" Amy asked the Doctor frantically; preferring to talk to him rather than ask the most infuriating men she'd ever met the same question.

"They're going to scan your mind." He replied quietly as Chris secured metal clamps on the ends of her ears. "They'll find out all of your information from your memories and thoughts. It's completely painless."

"And is it painful for you?" She whispered worriedly, wanting to reach out and take his hand.

"Very." He muttered darkly, his eyes bleak. "You wouldn't believe the magnitude of the things I've seen, and when they scan me, I'll experience everything all over again. Only briefly, but it will still hurt."

Amy didn't know what to say to that. Actions would speak louder than words, but she couldn't comfort him in the way that he needed. Not whilst she was strapped to a table.

"Ready!" Chris called, stepping away from Amy, and it didn't escape her notice that his gaze lingered on her upper body for too long.

Before she could scold him, her mind went blank, and her eyes snapped shut. Suddenly, she was watching her life flash past her eyes, experiencing every feeling she'd ever felt and every memory.

Her more recent memories passed much slower, and she watched Rory's proposal to her, the Doctor arriving in her garden, him holding her hand for the first time, her kissing him after their experience with the weeping angels and him kissing her in the mechanical alien zoo.

Her last memory was of the Doctor kissing her in the volcano, and then she opened her eyes, smiling.

"That wasn't so bad." She remarked quietly, still grinning.

Chris leaned closer to her again. "Was I in your memories?"

"No! But you'll be in something of mine later: my nightmare!" Amy snapped back, her smile fading.

He just winked at her, and turned to his friend. "Hey Ron, tell me about this chick then? Who is she, and where did she come from?"

"Her name is Amelia Jessica Pond, and she was born in 1989, making her 757 years old."

"Damn, you're hot for your old age!" Chris whistled.

"She is from Earth, and is a time-traveller. She is engaged…" Ronald trailed off, and licked his dry lips. "Engaged to someone who looks exactly like me."

Amy grimaced, and Ronald turned his attention to the Doctor. "No wonder you thought I was her fiancée!" He exclaimed, shaking her head.

"Never mind all that, what else is there?" Chris asked eagerly.

"Although she is engaged, she has no romantic feelings for her partner, instead harbouring a great passion for the man she travels with, and who is with us now. She sees the Doctor as—"

"Alright, alright!" Amy interrupted quickly, not wanting any more information revealed. "Never mind all of that! Can you release me now?"

"After we've analysed your boyfriend." Ronald promised her.

At the Doctor's grim face, Amy panicked. "But you've learnt enough about him from my memories!" She insisted. "So there's no need for the process, yeah?"

Ronald looked like he was about to agree, but Chris stepped in. "Yeah, but after seeing him through your memories, we know he definitely isn't human. As you don't seem to know the real him, we need to analyse him."

"But you—"

"Amy." The Doctor whispered, and Amy stopped talking. "Thanks for trying. But I'll be fine. Trust me."

"You better be." She replied softly. "If not, I'll kick your backside for lying to me."

The Doctor managed a half smile, but when Chris began to clamp his skin, Amy could see genuine fear in his eyes.

Amy turned her head to Ronald and shot him a pleading look. "I know you can't untie me, but at least let me hold his hand!" She begged.

Ronald nodded and headed over to her table, complying with her request because he knew how deeply she cared for the Doctor from her memories.

He pushed her table over and unscrewed the cuff holding her right hand to the table. As soon as he did so, Amy reached out and placed her hand over the Doctor's.

He relaxed from her touch, and flipped his hand up to interlace their fingers.

Chris connected the last wire, and the Doctor's eyes snapped shut. Immediately, pain flooded his face, and he let out a loud scream.

Chris and Ronald both jumped from the noise, and rushed over to watch his mind.

"We should stop this! This isn't fair!" Ronald cried, stricken by the Doctor's memories. "We're torturing him!"

"Don't stop it yet!" Chris yelled, knocking Ronald out of the way as he tried to stop the machine. "We're getting to the good parts!"

The Doctor's screams continued, and tears leaked out from under his closed eyelids. Amy felt herself screaming along with him, terrified at what she was seeing. If she was this scared, she couldn't even begin to imagine what the Doctor was feeling.

"Doctor?" She cried over his screams of pain. "I'm here! I'm here!" She tightened her grip around his hand, but it didn't seem to soothe him.

She flung her head to face Ronald and Chris. "Stop the machine!" She screamed. "Please!"

Ronald went to stop it again, but Chris kept him back.

Knowing Ronald was powerless, Amy released the Doctor's hand to unlock the cuffs around her other wrist and her ankles so she could stop the process herself.

But when the Doctor realised that the only warmth he had as he battled with his memories was gone, his screams got louder.

Amy hurried to release herself, and she managed it quickly. Ronald and Chris were arguing again, so she knew that they were paying no attention to her. She grabbed one of the wires, but when she touched the metal clamp to take it off of the Doctor's skin, she got an electric shock, so powerful that she collapsed to the floor, stunned from the force.

"Stop this process at once!" Someone bellowed, and Amy managed to pull herself to her feet to look at them.

There was a woman standing in the doorway, wearing the same lab coat as Ronald. She seemed to hold more power over him, and even Chris, as both men scurried to the machine to stop the Doctor's torture.

The Doctor's screams stopped abruptly, and his body went slack.

"Doctor?" Amy cried as she unlocked his cuffs and removed the clamps from his skin. "Wake up!" She gave his body a shake, and he jolted upright, narrowly avoiding banging his head into hers.

Gasping, he looked quickly around, his shoulder slumping with relief as he realised that he was safe again.

With a relieved laugh, Amy threw her arms around him, and the Doctor returned her embrace just as forcefully, clinging onto her warmth as he tried to suppress the painful memories he'd just experienced.

"Are you okay?" Amy whispered, cupping his face with her hands. "You were in so much pain."

The Doctor attempted a grin, trying to lighten the mood. "Me? I'm fine. Just give me some fish fingers and custard and I'll be as right as rain."

Amy didn't believe him, but she appreciated his effort to reassure her.

Not caring that there were three other people in the room, she crashed her lips to his, pouring all of her relief and fear into the kiss.

The Doctor responded eagerly, needing her just as much as she needed him.

"Hey you two, when you're finished, I'd like to talk to the Doctor."

Amy felt her face flush, and she pulled away, smiling bashfully at the woman who had stopped the Doctor's process. "Thank you for stopping the machine." She told her gratefully, slipping her arms around the Doctor's waist.

The woman smiled warmly at her. "You're welcome. Anything for a friend." She replied, turning her gaze to the Doctor.

"You know the Doctor?" Amy realised, raising her eyebrows.

The Doctor, who had only been looking at Amy for the past few minutes, finally turned to face the woman. When he recognised her, he gasped. "Francine?"

"Francine's descendant." She corrected. "I'm Samantha. And I know all about you."

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**This cliffie isn't _that_ bad. I only left it there because I want to know who you think Francine was. **

**What relationship did the Doctor and her have? I'd love to hear your guesses!**

**Hayley x**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.**

**A/N: Over 160 people have this story alerted and yet only eight people can leave reviews. I don't really understand that. **

**Thank you to the eight people who did leave me feedback :') I made sure to reply to you :)**

**Anyhoo, the identity of Francine will be revealed now. Enjoy!**

* * *

_The Doctor, who had only been looking at Amy for the past few minutes, finally turned to face the woman. When he recognised her, he gasped. "Francine?"_

_"Francine's descendant." She corrected. "I'm Samantha. And I know all about you."_

The Doctor gazed suspiciously at her. "Did Francine pass information down her family line about me, or something?"

Samantha nodded. "Yes, she passed a lot of stories down about you. Though when you met her, you were bald and wore a leather jacket."

Amy knew all about the Doctor's regeneration process, but picturing him looking like someone else was impossible to her. The Doctor was the man with the bow ties, not with the leather jacket. And picturing him bald was definitely unimaginable. His crazy hair was part of who he was.

"I wasn't bald!" The Doctor protested, climbing to his feet shakily. "I just didn't have a lot of hair. So, what did she tell you?"

Samantha's eyes glinted playfully. "Well, I know that you were the first guy she slept with."

Chris roared with laughter at that, and the Doctor blushed, before sneaking an embarrassed glance at Amy.

When she felt his gaze, she turned her head and raised her eyebrows at him. "You've been around a bit, haven't you?" She remarked, nudging him gently.

"Not a bit. Very, very little!" The Doctor gabbled. "And anyway, my past shouldn't matter. I haven't done anything in this body."

"Maybe we should do something about that." Amy teased, and the Doctor's eyes widened with shock.

"If you won't mate, I will!" Chris chuckled, and Amy spun around to glare at him.

She stalked towards him, and when she reached him, she poked him in the chest with her fingernail, enjoying his wince of pain. "Hey, you can't point a gun at me one minute and then try to get into my skirt the next!" She hissed. "So back off."

Chris raised his hands in mock surrender. "I'm only joking Amy, I know you're taken. I've seen the memories about the Doctor, and let me tell you, your fantasy—"

"Shut. Up." Amy growled, accentuating each word with a hard poke.

To her relief, he stopped talking, and she walked back over to the Doctor's side.

"Fantasy?" He whispered to her quietly, amusement evident in his expression.

Amy carefully trained her eyes forward to avoid his gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The Doctor decided to let it go, and turned to Ronald. "So Ron-can I call you Ron?" At his nod, the Doctor continued. "What's all this then? Great laboratory you've got here. But why's it in a Volcano?"

"I'll show you Doctor." Ronald replied, beckoning him over.

When the Doctor began to walk over to him, he stumbled, still weak from the analysis process. Amy managed to support him, and Samantha offered him some celery.

"Thought you might need this." She told him, grinning knowingly.

The Doctor thanked her and ate it quickly, and Amy shot Samantha a confused look.

"Celery has healing properties and helps Time Lords recover quickly." She explained to her. "Another story that was passed down."

Amy nodded in understanding, and was relieved when the Doctor stood up straight, fully recovered. "Samantha, you are brilliant!" He exclaimed on his way over to Ronald. "Now Ron, show me what you're doing here!"

"We're a research team from England, and we were sent out here to gather valuable minerals for the country." Ronald told him, nodding at Chris and Samantha. "We have Megan as well, but she's in the volcano at the moment, gathering readings." He paused, and looked down at his feet. "There were originally five of us, but Thomas…he's missing."

"Missing?" The Doctor repeated, his interest fading into concern. "It's impossible for someone to go missing here. Your technology would have traced them immediately."

"We know." Ronald sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "We have trackers on everyone within the next five miles. We were able to watch you land the TARDIS, and watch you and Amy ascend up the volcano. But Thomas went excavating yesterday and disappeared off of our radar."

"We don't think he's dead." Chris spoke up, serious for the first time. "We would know it. But we can't find him. And we have the best trackers in the World in this volcano base."

The Doctor met Amy's gaze, and they both nodded at each other.

Grinning, the Doctor turned back to Ronald. "Ron, if anyone can find Thomas, it's us. Let us help."

"I know." Ronald replied, smiling at the Doctor. "I've seen your memories, remember? I know what you two can do."

"Right then!" The Doctor announced, rubbing his palms together. "Let's put on some space suits and go looking."

"We can't go yet." Samantha told him. "We need to wait for Megan to return before we set off. We can only contact her if we're all in the base."

"Fair enough. But tell her to hurry back here, it's dangerous to be out there alone." The Doctor warned.

"I'll do it." Chris volunteered, heading out of the laboratory.

"So Ron, tell me a bit more about these materials you need." The Doctor said, and Amy sighed, knowing that their discussion would be full of scientific things that she didn't understand.

She decided to turn her attention towards Samantha, who was watching the Doctor. "So, how did your ancestor first meet the Doctor?" Amy asked her quietly, not wanting the Doctor to overhear their conversation.

"Francine was a member of Torchwood, not that the Doctor knew that at the time. She knew exactly who he was though, and slept with him to find out information when he arrived in 2065 London." Samantha explained, her tone as quiet as Amy's. "He asked her to travel with him, but she declined his offer."

"Why would she decline? You'd have to be mad to not want to explore the universe with the Doctor." Amy whispered, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Her job was to protect the Earth, and she didn't want to abandon her post. I would have stayed too, if I had been in her position."

"The Doctor told me all about Torchwood." Amy admitted softly. "I suppose I can understand why she felt inclined to keep her job. But I don't think I could do it. I could never leave the Doctor."

Samantha's face grew grave. "Amy, you don't leave the Doctor. He leaves you."

"Excuse me?" Amy exclaimed angrily, causing the Doctor and Ronald to glance over at them briefly. She gave them a reassuring smile, and they resumed their conversation.

"Amy, no human can ever live as long as he will. He leaves his companions before he can grow attached to them." Samantha told her gently. "He's been in love before. He mentioned someone called Sarah Jane to my ancestor, and I'm sure there have been more women he's loved."

"But what about me? Do you think he will leave me too?" Amy whispered, her voice desperate with panic.

At Samantha's silence, Amy knew her answer.

"Well, that's not going to happen." Amy determined. "He'll never get rid of me."

"Don't you think that all of his previous companions have believed that?"

Amy saw red then. "How dare you!" She hissed, no longer caring if the Doctor heard their conversation. "I'm different to them!"

Samantha didn't reply, and turned away from her, leaving Amy fuming. "So Ronald, have you explained everything to the Doctor yet?" She asked her friend brightly.

Ronald nodded, and as they both struck up a conversation, the Doctor headed over to Amy. "Hey Pond." He greeted softly. "Care to explain why you look like someone who has had their favourite miniskirt stolen?"

Amy managed a tight smile, still stung from Samantha's revelation. "I didn't agree with some of her opinions, that's all."

The Doctor studied her thoughtfully. "You never look this angry when you and I clash."

"That's because I like you. I hate her." She muttered, glaring venomously at Samantha.

"It's because she looks like her ancestor!" The Doctor realised, though he couldn't have been more wrong. "Amy, there was nothing between Francine and I! I swear on the moons of Saturn!"

Amy tried her hardest to look reassured. "Okay Doctor, I believe you." She said, though that wasn't the reason at all. But if it stopped the Doctor from asking her any more questions about her sudden angry mood, she'd lie.

The Doctor sighed with relief. "Good. I don't want there to be any tension while we're here. There's something not quite right about this volcano, and everyone is going to have to stick together if we're all going to survive."

Amy's anger turned to concern. "Do you know what's happened to Thomas then?" She asked him worriedly.

He shook his head. "No. But I do know that there's something on this island. Something that's not human."

"But wouldn't they have been able to pick up an alien on their tracker?"

"Not if the alien is using a perception filter." The Doctor replied grimly. "As soon as Megan gets back, we need to explore."

"Can't we sneak out and search for the alien alone? Just the two of us?" Amy asked.

"We need space suits if we intend to stay out there for a long period of time. And it would be hard to get those without drawing attention to ourselves." He replied. "I have some in the TARDIS, but the tracker would catch us going to it."

"Fair point." Amy muttered. "So we just wait?"

"We wait." The Doctor confirmed; sitting on the edge of the table he'd been strapped to.

Amy joined him, and once she'd sat down, the Doctor slid down the table to lie down and rest his head in her lap. She began to stroke his hair, and he sighed in contentment.

It was moments like this that convinced Amy that the Doctor would never leave her. He needed her as much as she needed him.

Samantha looked up and saw the Doctor and Amy sharing a tender moment, and Amy couldn't help but smile smugly at her, resisting the urge to mouth, "I told you so!"

But Samantha only smiled sadly back and turned back to Ronald, causing Amy to lose her smirk.

Before she could begin to worry again, loud alarm bells began to chime, and flashing red lights lit the white laboratory.

The Doctor shot up and jumped off the table, grabbing Amy's hand and yanking her off too. "What's going on?" He bellowed over the alarm.

"Megan's disappeared off the radar!" Samantha yelled back, rushing towards the entrance of the lab. "We need to get to Chris, now!"

Ronald scurried after her, and the Doctor and Amy followed closely behind them. They ran through various white corridors until Samantha stopped outside a black door. She punched in a code to unlock the door, and darted through it once it had opened.

The black door led to some sort of control room, with large screens of different areas of the volcano around the room and many machines with different buttons. Even the Doctor looked impressed with the technology.

"You humans, you never fail to amaze me." He murmured proudly, and Amy squeezed his hand.

"It's not really the time to go off on one of your 'I love humans' speeches." She whispered, and the Doctor reluctantly admitted that she was right.

"Chris, where did Megan disappear from?" Samantha shouted over the alarms, running over to join him at one of the large white consoles.

"She was in layer P of the volcano, directly under the artificial lava!" He yelled, pressing various buttons on the console. "As soon as she disappeared, the alarms went off, and now I can't shut them off!"

"But then again, humans always need my help at the end of the day." The Doctor commented quietly to Amy, before he strode forward to join Samantha and Chris. He aimed his screwdriver at the console, and the alarms stopped, along with the flashing red lights.

"Thank you Doctor." Samantha sighed, resting her hand on his arm. Amy didn't like that, so she marched forward to stand at the Doctor's other side, Ronald right behind her.

"We need to leave this volcano!" Ronald exclaimed. "Two people have gone missing now. And there's only three of us left!"

"We can't leave Thomas and Megan here, whether they're alive or not!" Chris argued. "And we need the volcanic materials. The whole country is counting on us!"

"There are other teams that are gathering the same minerals we are!" Ronald snapped back. "The country will be fine! But we won't be if we stay here!"

"But if we bring back some minerals, we'll be knighted!" Chris shouted back. "The Queen promised us that herself!"

"Being knighted won't matter if we're dead by then! I have a wife and son back home, and I have no intention of leaving them!"

The Doctor coughed loudly then, stopping the men's argument. "Arguing isn't helping anyone." He told them sternly. "We need to stick together to work out what's going on in this volcano. Now, I want you both to make up."

Ronald nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry for shouting Chris, but that's another friend we've lost. I can't lose you and Samantha too."

"I know." Chris sighed. "I'm sorry too. But we can't leave, and we can't stay either."

"But that's where you're wrong!" The Doctor interrupted. "Both Megan and Thomas disappeared whilst they were alone, right? So if we all go down to this 'Layer P' and work out what's going on, we should stay safe. Then you can excavate your minerals and Amy and I can get out of here! What do you say?"

Amy was the first to agree, and after Samantha agreed, Ronald and Chris did as well.

"Right Samantha!" The Doctor exclaimed, placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her forward, another gesture that Amy didn't like, "Go and get us all some space suits, and then we can go and explore!"

* * *

**Thanks for reading :)**

**I'd be grateful if you left me a review :D**

**Hayley x**


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: I'm going on holiday tonight, so there will be no updates until I get back. But don't worry, as soon as I arrive home on Sunday, I will update. I've nearly finished the next chapter already, and I can write the rest whilst I'm away.**

**I cut this chapter short so I could leave you with a nice ending, and not with a cliffhanger. See? I'm just **_**that**_** nice…haha!**

* * *

"Are you sure that these space suits are necessary?" Amy grumbled to the Doctor as he zipped hers up for her. "They're so unflattering!"

"You can only breathe for thirty minutes in the volcano, so I'm afraid they are necessary." He told her. "Besides, I think you look magnificent."

"Oh really?" She muttered, studying her reflection in the mirror in front of them. "I think that I look like a frump."

"Well, I think that you look like someone who is about to save this volcano base from a mysterious alien." The Doctor remarked, and Amy rolled her eyes at him.

Grinning, the Doctor kissed her pouting lips before placing the space helmet on her.

"And now I look like an astronaut frump!" Amy exclaimed, her voice clear from the microphone in the helmet.

"Oh quit whining Pond!" The Doctor teased as he began to put his space suit on. "I'd rather have you looking like a frump than have you dead from lack of oxygen."

"Well when you put it like that…hey! Are you calling me a frump?" She asked him, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at him through her helmet.

"Ask me no questions, and I shall tell you no lies." The Doctor quoted, placing his helmet on. "And now we both look like frumps who are going to save the volcano base!"

Amy laughed and took his gloved hand. "Right then, frump number two, let's go and join the others!"

"Hey, why aren't I frump number one?" He asked her in mock-outrage. "I'm the Doctor! I should be number one!"

"But I'm Amy Pond, so I should be number one!" Amy argued back.

"Fair point." The Doctor agreed. "Fine. Frump number one, let's go and explore!"

Grinning, they both stepped out of their cubicle and joined the others, who were waiting for them outside of the base.

"I've sent a message back to England, just in case we don't return." Samantha told them grimly. "So at least our families will know what happened to us."

"You're an optimistic one." The Doctor commented sarcastically. "That message was completely unnecessary. I know we're going to be fine."

"And how do you know that?" Samantha asked him doubtfully.

"Because one, I'm the Doctor. I'm not going to let anyone die if I can help it. Two, I promised Amy that I'd take her home safely, and in one piece, and I never make promises that I can't keep. Three—"

Amy went mute at the Doctor's second point. All she could think about were his words: 'take her home.'

She slipped her hand out of the Doctor's, hurt, but he didn't seem to notice, as he was too preoccupied with telling Samantha why they were going to be fine.

~I~

As they descended down the volcano, Ronald fell into step beside Amy as they followed the others down. The Doctor was leading the others, of course, and Samantha was walking beside him, though they were too far ahead to allow Amy to hear what they were saying. Chris followed shortly behind them.

"He won't take you home." Ronald said to her quietly.

"How do you know that?" She muttered dejectedly, glaring at the back of Samantha's head.

Ronald smiled reassuringly at her. "I've seen his mind, remember? He needs you more than he'll ever admit."

Amy allowed herself to feel a flicker of hope. "Are you sure about that?"

"Positive."

"Well then, I better go and join my man!" She exclaimed brightly, and after she'd thanked him, she hurried forward to meet up with the Doctor.

When the Doctor heard her approaching, he turned his head and grinned at her. "I was wondering where you went!" He told her happily, taking her hand. "I was beginning to get lonely."

"You had Samantha for company." Amy reminded him, though secretly she was delighted that he wasn't really paying any attention to her.

"The Doctor prefers the company of redheads to brunette's." Samantha teased, nudging him playfully.

"I'm more partial to a red head. Especially if they're Scottish." He admitted, still smiling down at Amy.

Amy beamed and slipped her arms around the Doctor's waist, though it was a bit awkward with their space suits on. "He's only saying that. He prefers blondes really." She joked, although she regretted it when the Doctor's smile faded.

"I wouldn't say that." He said quietly, and the emotion in his eyes gave Amy the feeling that he wasn't just talking about hair colour.

Samantha eyed the Doctor's sudden tense posture and Amy's anxious face. "I'm just going to talk to Chris about something, you know the way to Layer P, right Doctor?"

At the Doctor's nod, she left them alone.

"Have you ever travelled with a blonde Doctor?" Amy asked him carefully, unwilling to upset him any further, but she had to know if there had been someone else like her.

He let out a long sigh before coming to a halt and taking his helmet off. Amy stopped with him and took her helmet off too, and when Samantha, Chris and Ronald passed them, the Doctor told them to go on without them for a minute.

He waited until they were out of earshot before speaking. "Amy, before I regenerated into this body, I was someone else. I was still me, but I had different opinions and feelings. For instance, I hated cats, but now I love them. I loved wearing converses, but now I prefer wearing boots."

He paused then and took Amy's hands in his. "Do you know what I'm trying to say?" He asked her desperately, reluctant to speak the words himself.

"That you had feelings for someone in your old body, the same ones that you have for me." She replied softly.

The Doctor closed his anguished eyes and pressed his forehead to hers. "Her name was Rose." He whispered. "She was my companion while I was in my ninth body, and she stayed with me after I'd changed into my tenth. That's when feelings began to grow between us. I never acted on my feelings though…" His voice broke, and Amy reached up to cradle her face in his hands.

"And then she was taken away from me, stuck in a parallel World. I travelled with two more companions after that, but they never filled the hole that her absence had left. And then she fought her way back to me." His face lit up from the memory. "And though there was a strong possibility that we'd die, I didn't care, because I had her."

Amy didn't fail to notice the way he referred to her in the past tense. She didn't want to ask what happened to her, though she needed to know. Thankfully, the Doctor hadn't finished talking.

"But then she went again. That was my fault. I had a clone and I told her to love him and not me, because he could give her what she wanted. And then I left them in a parallel world of Earth to start a new life together." He finished, his voice hoarse from the grief of the memory.

"You gave her up?" Amy realised quietly. "Oh Doctor, that must have been so painful."

He allowed himself to smile wryly. "It was. But the pain didn't last long. I regenerated soon after that. It's a long story, and I don't have time to tell it now. But I need you to know that I'm a different man now. I have a new face, a new body, a new personality, and let's not forget a new, sexy TARDIS!"

Amy had to laugh at his attempt to lighten the atmosphere. "Oh yes, we could never forget that!"

"Ten loved Rose." The Doctor told her. "But Eleven, me, loves you."

"What?" Amy whispered; her eyes beginning to gleam with unshed tears.

The Doctor frowned. "I think that's something else my new body likes. Being honest about feelings. I've never told anyone I loved them be—"

But Amy's lips on his silenced him.

The Doctor didn't respond, too shocked by her response to his revelation.

When Amy pulled back, he was about to speak, but she placed her finger on his lips. "I love you too you fool, so kiss me back!"

That was all the encouragement the Doctor needed, and he pressed his lips back to hers.

* * *

**Okay, now that we all know that these two are in love, hopefully you all believe that they'll stay together forever ;)**

**But if you read my review replies, then you'll know what really happens.**

**Anyhow, I'll see you all in a week, and I promise to reply to your reviews the moment I get back!**

**Adiós!**

**Hayley x**

**p.s To my anonymous reviewers…**

**Violet- Aw, thank you so much! I hate Rory/Amy too…but Rory is in this story later on I'm afraid. But don't worry, he won't be a threat to Amy and the Doctor's relationship :D**

**Hannah-Wow, thank you! That's so kind :) I'm glad that you're enjoying my story :D**

**Jessica, thank you so much, again! Could you just explain to me what parts of the last chapter were rushed? I don't have a beta you see, so all of my work is my own :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.**

**A/N: I'm backkkkk :D And I bring back with me a chapter (plus many more!), whooo! (It's amazing how inspired you can be in a different place.)**

**Anyhow, thank you for your reviews! I say that every chapter, I think, but honestly, I am very grateful.**

**Now, before I ramble anymore, here's the chapter!**

* * *

Amy would have been quite happy to have kissed the Doctor till they ran out of oxygen, but the humans from the base wouldn't let that happen.

After waiting outside the entrance for Layer P for five minutes, they'd all grown worried and headed back to where they'd left Amy and the Doctor. When they saw them in their romantic embrace, Chris let out a loud whistle, causing them both to break apart.

"Jeez guys, save that for when we're safe." He joked, and Amy glared at him as she retrieved her helmet.

"That's what love looks like." She told him as she walked towards them, the Doctor following right behind her. "You're not used to it because you've never been in love. Suck it up."

"Suck what up?" He asked back cheekily, and Amy shoved him as she walked past him.

The Doctor frowned at Chris as he hurried after Amy, disliking the way he was trying to provoke her.

"Hey Samantha, could you tell him to be quiet?" The Doctor asked her. "His innuendos are getting on my wick."

"Getting on your wick?" She snorted. "You can definitely tell that you're not from around here. And in answer to your question, I can control what my team does, but I can't control what they say. Sorry."

The Doctor gave a dramatic sigh, but didn't press the matter.

~I~

The entrance to Layer P was nothing but a ladder descending down a tube into the darkness. Ronald dropped a gravity globe down, but no one would be able to see until they reached the floor and ducked out of the tube.

The Doctor sensed Amy's apprehensiveness, and he volunteered to go first. Before anyone else had given their consent, he climbed down the ladder and disappeared into the darkness.

Amy peered over the edge anxiously, though it was pointless because she couldn't see anything. "Doctor?" She called down worriedly.

"I'm here Pond!" He called back. "Hurry up and get down here, I want to explore!"

She let out a grumble at his impatience and climbed awkwardly down the ladder. Climbing wasn't easy in a space suit, though the Doctor had made it look so easy.

When she reached the bottom, something grabbed her waist, making her yelp and kick whatever had her.

She heard the Doctor groan, and she gasped in realisation. "Oh my God, I am so sorry!" She apologised, reaching out into the dark for him.

"No worries." The Doctor grumbled through gritted teeth. "I'm just suffering from a case of broken shins. A first for me, and not a first I'll be repeating again!"

"I didn't know you were going to grab me like that!" She exclaimed. "I have to be prepared, in case something does grab me in the future."

"And I think you are prepared. That bloody hurt!"

"She's got quite a kick on her Doctor." Chris commented as he reached the bottom of the tube, having caught the end of their conversation. "Watch out for her mate."

"No one asked for your input, thank you." The Doctor muttered, but Amy wasn't so polite.

"Shut your mouth and butt out of our business." She hissed; glaring at the direction his voice was coming from.

"Now now children, let's not fight!" Samantha said as she joined them. "Hurry up Ronald!"

"Coming!" He yelled back.

"That was a rubbish comeback from the both of you." Chris remarked playfully.

Amy had to smile. "I'm running out of material. What can I say?"

"That I'm amazing."

She chuckled, something the Doctor didn't like. "Don't flatter yourself. I'd have to be high to say that, or very, very drunk."

Chris laughed as well. "Nice one Pond." –The Doctor scowled at the use of his nickname for Amy, but no one could see it— "High five?"

Amy went to high five him, but she ended up whacking someone in the face. Judging from the Doctor's cry, it had been him.

Amy, Chris and Samantha burst into laughter, much to his displeasure. "If you're going to laugh, I'll go in there alone!" He threatened, and just as he expected, everyone stopped.

"Better." He approved, just as Ronald joined them.

"Right, there isn't time to joke around anymore." The Doctor continued sternly as they hovered outside of the entrance to Layer P. "What we're about to face could be dangerous, and potentially life-threatening." He reached out for Amy's hand in the dark, and she met him halfway.

Confident, the Doctor unlocked the door and stepped through, Amy right at his side.

~I~

Layer P was completely normal.

It was a large rocky space that stretched out for miles, and it was lit from the artificial lava and from the gravity globe, which allowed the five of them to see every inch of the surface. The floor was covered with rocks and there were large boulders around the edge of the area.

Chris suddenly broke into laughter, and everyone turned to look at him in confusion. "So much for this being dangerous!" He chortled. "There's nothing here!"

But Amy and the Doctor knew better.

The Doctor just sighed. "To the human eye, there is nothing here. But when you do this…" He trailed off to take out his sonic screwdriver, which he'd somehow managed to wedge into the sleeve of his space suit. "You'll see what's really here."

With the flick of a switch, the room began to glow with green light, and an alien materialised in front of them.

The alien was huge; there simply was no other way to describe it, and it dominated the majority of the space with its large green body. It had about eighty legs, all with pincers at the end, and it had three eyes and a large mouth with jagged teeth.

This was no friendly alien.

But no one was focusing on the alien. Everyone was staring at two bodies a couple of metres away from them, two bloody corpses. Thomas and Megan.

"Oh my God!" Samantha choked, her voice hoarse with grief.

Ronald began to make his way over to them, but the Doctor reached out and yanked him back. "What are you doing?" He hissed. "They're dead!"

"I have to make sure, I'm a Nurse. Just let me do my job!" Ronald snapped back.

At his loud tone, the alien turned its head and stared straight at them, before it let out a loud roar and began edging towards them. Amy was relieved that it couldn't move very fast.

"And I'm the Doctor. I can tell if they're alive by their heartbeats, and I can't hear their pulses. They're gone, and I'm sorry." The Doctor said quietly, resting his hand on Ronald's shoulder, unaware of the danger looming up before him.

"Doctor!" Amy yelled, tugging at his hand to pull him backwards. "What is that thing?"

"That thing is a Cryotonicslam." He replied back, backing away from the alien with the others. "And it's not the friendliest of aliens. It feasts on humans about once every century. But this one is clearly a lot greedier."

"What do we do?" Ronald yelled, his voice high-pitched with fear.

"We get the hell out of here!" The Doctor cried, shoving Amy to the exit. "Go!"

Amy refused to go first, wanting to wait for the Doctor, so Samantha pushed through the door and began to climb up the ladder, Ronald right behind her.

Chris however, was still standing in Layer P.

"Doctor, if this thing lives here, that means our excavation can't continue!" He said to him, his voice hysterical from loss of work, not from the danger in front of them.

"Of course it can't! Your work would endanger this alien, and it's extinct." The Doctor replied, grabbing his arm and hauling him to the exit. "Get up that ladder now!"

Just as Chris and Amy began to ascend, the Doctor walked to the door of the exit to seal it with his screwdriver, so that no one else would be able to enter.

But one of the alien's legs shot out and knocked the Doctor against the wall, and the screwdriver flew out of his hand.

"Doctor!" Amy screamed, immediately jumping down from the ladder and hurrying out of the exit.

As the alien's head moved closer and closer to the Doctor, she picked up a rock from the floor. "Oi!" She bellowed, distracting the alien so the Doctor could get to his feet. "Look over here fatty!"

She threw the rock with as much force as she could, and she cheered when it hit the alien in the eye. It gave a loud cry of pain, and the tremor of its body was enough to shake the volcano, sending everyone to the floor.

"Amy Jessica Pond, you are fantastic, but recklessness is your only fault!" The Doctor yelled as the alien turned away from him to advance on her.

"Recklessness? Hey, I just saved your life!" She yelled back, crawling behind a boulder to hide from the alien.

"What are you two doing?" Chris bellowed, darting into Layer P to join them. "Get out of here now!"

"Not without my screw driver!" The Doctor cried from his position on the ground. "I need to find it!"

"Can't the TARDIS make you another one?" Amy called to him, just as the Cryotonicslam smashed the boulder next to her. She gave a small scream and quickly crawled forward to the next set of rocks.

"I can see it!" Chris exclaimed, rushing forward to retrieve the screwdriver, which was lying a few feet away from him.

"Chris!" The Doctor shouted. "Keep to the edge or—"" Suddenly Chris was knocked over by one of the alien's legs, and he crashed to the floor, "—or that will happen." The Doctor finished weakly.

He hurried over to help Chris to his feet, causing Amy to grumble, "Do I have to do everything myself?" as she climbed to her feet to retrieve the screwdriver. "Men!"

But the Cryotonicslam used another one of its legs to throw her into the wall.

"Amy!" The Doctor screamed, leaving Chris's side. "Amy!"

"I'm okay!" She called to him, but he rushed to her side to help her up anyway.

"Just this once, I think we should forgo the screwdriver! It's a pesky thing anyway!" He yelled over the roars of the alien. "Let's get out of here!"

Amy quickly nodded her agreement, and together, they raced to the exit, forgetting about Chris.

~I~

Chris watched Amy and the Doctor leave, before scooping up the Doctor's screwdriver. He glared at the alien hatefully as he ran to the exit, knowing its presence on the volcano was going to make a fool out of him when he returned to England.

He had bragged to everyone that he was guaranteed a knighthood when he returned, but without the minerals, he wouldn't get it.

There was only one solution in his mind: kill the alien.

He wasn't equipped with a weapon, but every layer of the volcano had a self-destruct button, a button that he'd placed there himself.

Grinning, he rushed over to the exit and pressed the self-destruct button on the way, thinking his problems were over.

The alien would be dead, his team would be able to gather their minerals, and he'd get his knighthood.

Finally.

* * *

**Uh-oh! Something tells me Chris has just made a very big mistake.**

**Next chapter is veryyyyyy long, as it's the climax and end of this little mini-story. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen!**

**Hayley x**

**p.s Jessica, thank you for explaining your point! I can see what you mean, and I was trying to write it like Doctor Who. There's always something happening in an episode, so I tried to write my fic like it :) x**

**p.p.s Nolalmorris, thank you for your review! I will try and keep that point in mind, but as Rory doesn't love Amy in this fic, then it may be a bit hard haha!**

**p.p.p.s Jammy5928, aw thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: **Long chapter ahead, so brace yourself for it! ;D

* * *

Amy, the Doctor, Samantha and Ronald were halfway to the base when Amy realised that they were missing the other member of their group. She came to a standstill, nearly causing the Doctor to crash into her.

"We forgot Chris!" She gasped, turning back. "We have to go and get him!"

Samantha and Ronald exchanged horrified glances, and the Doctor clapped his hand to his forehead. "I left him on the ground!" He realised in horror. "This is all my—"

"Hey guys! Thanks for waiting for me!" They heard Chris yell from the distance, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. "Talk about rude!"

"Sorry Chris," Ronald apologised as he waited for his friend to catch up with them. "All we could think about was getting the hell out of there. Are you okay?"

"Never better!" Chris replied cheerfully. "Here Doc, I have something for you." He told him as he reached into his sleeve and withdrew the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.

The Doctor's antagonism towards Chris was long forgotten once he saw that he'd saved his screwdriver. "You're my hero!" He cried happily, giving him a fierce hug.

Chris grinned and patted the Doctor on the back. "If you say so."

The Doctor pulled back to give him a stern look. "I hope you didn't risk your life trying to get this for me." He said, waving the screwdriver under Chris's nose.

"I wouldn't say that." Chris chuckled. "But I think I've saved everyone's life from staying down there a little longer."

The Doctor was the only one who realised that there was an underlying meaning in Chris's words, but before he could question him, Amy appeared at his side. "Doctor, you can thank him later, but I want to get to the base and change out of this suit!" She complained, tugging at the material.

"Your wish is my command." The Doctor replied with a mock bow, and Amy laughed before pulling him forward.

The Doctor cast one more glance at Chris over his shoulder, before turning his head and running along with Amy.

~I~

Once they were back at the base, they changed out of their space suits, and Samantha made everyone a cup of tea, though the Doctor just asked for a cup of hot water.

"Aren't you going to have anything with that?" Amy asked him in disbelief, eyeing his drink choice warily.

The Doctor snapped his fingers. "Oh yes! I forgot to get custard creams!" He realised, reaching forward to take some from the tray of biscuits. "Thanks for reminding me Pond."

Amy just shook her head at him and helped herself to a chocolate digestive. She was surprised that they still made them in the future, but she wasn't complaining.

After everyone had fed and drank reasonably well, the Doctor brought up the situation with the Cryotonicslam.

"You're going to have to leave." He told the remaining three of the research team. "It's illegal to excavate the ground here when there's an alien inhabiting the area."

Samantha and Ronald nodded, though both were sad to leave. The Doctor sympathised with them, but he couldn't do anything about the situation. He'd get himself killed if he tried to move the alien himself, and it was completely unsafe for them to work where an alien of that mass resided.

"I can't believe all of our hard work has been for nothing." Ronald sighed gloomily, and Samantha touched his arm sympathetically.

"It wasn't for nothing!" Amy exclaimed, leaning forward in her seat. "You're alive, and you still have a family waiting for you to return home to them."

Ronald smiled at that, and nodded. "You're right. I still have my family."

Chris, who had been silent ever since they'd returned, leaned back in his chair and smirked. "You can all go home, but I'm going to stay here."

"Chris, I can't let you stay here." The Doctor told him gravely. "If I have to force you to leave, I will."

"You? No offence, but I'm a lot bigger than you." Chris laughed mockingly. "Scrawny vs Brawn, I wonder who will win!"

"I wouldn't underestimate the Doctor if I were you." Amy said quietly.

"Thank you Pond." The Doctor said, nodding in agreement with what she'd said about him. "Glad to see your commitment."

Amy snorted and shoved his arm. "Shut up. You know how committed I am."

The two locked eyes then, and the Doctor recognised the love and affection in her eyes for him, as they reflected his own feelings for her.

A loud explosion interrupted their moment, and they were thrown to the floor.

"Amy? Samantha? Ron? Are you okay?" The Doctor asked worriedly, seeing them on the floor beside him. Amy sat up slowly and gave him a thumbs-up sign, and Sam and Ronald mimicked her.

The Doctor rose to his feet, helping Amy up with him, and frowned in confusion when he saw Chris still sitting in his chair. "Why didn't you fall to the floor along with the rest of us?"

Chris smiled smugly at him. "Well, if you're expecting an explosion, you know when to brace yourself, don't you?"

Realisation dawned on the Doctor. "You didn't." He whispered.

"I did."

At his words, the Doctor snapped, and he threw himself at Chris, knocking him onto the floor.

Chris was strong, but he was no match for the wrath of a Time Lord.

"Why?" The Doctor roared in his face, pinning him to the ground. "Why did you do it?"

Amy rushed forward to calm the Doctor down, but he ignored her pleas to get off of him.

"Because I wasn't going to throw away what I'd worked for because of an alien!" Chris yelled back.

"No! You did it because you were selfish!" The Doctor hollered. "All you care about is your Knighthood!"

"That alien killed my friends!" Chris shouted. "I wasn't going to let it live whilst the rest of us lost everything!"

"You tried to kill the last of a rare species!" The Time Lord cried, his eyes blazing with hurt and fury. "Do you know what that means?"

Suddenly his grip on Chris loosened, weakened by the realisation that an alien, the last of it's kind, was dead.

He couldn't help but fear that it was a foreshadowing event.

Maybe he was next.

Chris shoved the Doctor away from him, and he fell backwards, though he was numb to the fall. Amy flew to his side and helped him sit up, and it was her comforting words that brought him back to the present.

"It's okay Doctor." She murmured reassuringly, over and over again as she rocked him back and forth.

"I don't see what the big deal is! That alien was a murderer!" Chris spat. "And now we can continue our work in peace. Right?"

But Ronald and Samantha shook their heads and backed away from him. "Chris, what you did was unbelievable!" Ronald hissed. "How could you do something like that?"

Chris blinked, stunned. "What?"

"Chris, I am demoting you from this team." Samantha told him coldly. "You can travel back to England with us, but when we return, you are not to work in our department ever again."

"But I did it for you!" Chris yelled in frustration.

"No." Ronald said quietly, glaring at him. "You did it for yourself."

Chris began to edge away, glaring hatefully at them. "Fine! I'll complete this mission by myself! Maybe then I'll—"

But a loud, pained screech interrupted him. The cry blared around the room, causing everyone to clamp their hands over their ears and shut their eyes.

"What is that Doctor?" Amy yelled over the sound.

"It's me!" He yelled back, and Amy opened her eyes to see him pointing his screwdriver towards the ceiling.

"Turn it off!" Chris screamed.

"This is what you have done!" The Doctor roared back. "This is an innocent alien being blown apart! How does this sound of pain make you feel?"

"Just turn it off!" Chris cried, sinking to the floor. "The sound is killing me!"

The Doctor shook his head and pressed a switch on the screwdriver, making the sound louder.

All of a sudden, there was another loud explosion, and everyone fell to the floor again. The Doctor released the button on the screwdriver, stopping the scream from echoing around the room.

Instead, the only sound was a loud rumbling, causing the room to shake.

"What's going on?" Amy yelled over the noise.

"Chris didn't kill the alien!" The Doctor realised, jumping to his feet. "But now it's injured and angry, so I think we have about ten minutes before this volcano erupts and kills all of us!"

"But there's no lava!" Samantha cried.

"But there's artificial lava!" Ronald gasped in realisation. "And that can still erupt and drown us all!"

The Doctor helped Amy to her feet, and they sprinted towards the exit of the base. "Come with us!" He yelled back to them. "You'll never make it out of the base in your space ship. The lava will consume you!"

Ronald and Samantha nodded and ran towards them, but Chris remained where he was. "Is this my punishment?" He laughed bitterly. "You're going to leave me here to die?"

The Doctor turned slowly, and there was no mistaking the hatred in his eyes. But there was also something else there: compassion. "I may be many things, but I'm not a killer." He told him. "Come on!"

He charged out of the base, gripping Amy's hand tightly as they hurried to the stairs.

"Doctor, the TARDIS is quite close to the lava!" Amy realised as they descended.

"Which is why we need to get there now!" He yelled, his sprint increasing, causing Amy to run faster too.

She quickly looked back, and saw Chris, Samantha and Ronald a good distance behind them.

Amy had absolute faith in the Doctor, and she knew that he could get all of them out of the volcano alive, despite the distance between them and the other three. He would always protect her and other humans.

Suddenly, something wrapped around her waist and pulled her over the edge. With a scream, Amy realised it was one of the Cryotonicslam's legs.

"Amy!" The Doctor cried, gripping both of her hands and trying to pull her back.

"Doctor, it's got me!" She screamed, as the alien tried to pull her down into the lava.

"I won't let it take you!" He shouted, yanking her forward. "But I need my screwdriver!"

"Get it then!" She yelled, trying her hardest not to panic when she felt her body go horizontal in the air.

"I can't without letting go of one of your hands!" He replied frantically.

"Let me go then!" She cried, already tugging her hands out of his.

But his grip tightened. "I have lost too many people that I've cared about. I'm not losing you too. I can't!" He cried, tears blurring his vision.

Amy felt herself tearing up at the thought of losing the Doctor forever, before the pincer on the alien's leg pressed into her skin, leaving her gasping in pain.

"Amy!" The Doctor screamed, knowing he couldn't pull her without the alien piercing her skin.

"This is it, isn't it?" She realised quietly, watching the lava rise beneath her. "I'm going to die!"

"No! No!" The Doctor cried desperately. "If you go, I go!"

Amy found the strength to sigh. "Doctor, you need to save these people! Just leave me!" But as she said the words, she felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

"I'm not going to leave you." He hissed through gritted teeth.

"Amy!" They heard Chris cry, and the Doctor allowed himself to feel a small amount of relief when he saw him, despite how much he disliked him.

"Chris! I need you to reach into my breast pocket and take out my screwdriver!" The Doctor commanded. "It won't hurt the alien, but it may let Amy go!"

"Never mind that!" Chris bellowed, scooping up a large jagged rock and hurling it at the alien leg around Amy.

The Cryotonicslam released Amy then, howling in pain, and the Doctor nearly fell over the edge from the sudden force of Amy's weight.

But Chris wrapped his arms around the Doctor's waist and hurled them both backwards. The Doctor regained his balance, and together, they both lifted Amy up.

Amy managed to hook her shoes into the ridges of the rock, and she used her legs to support herself as they pulled her up.

Ronald and Samantha reached them then, and they helped as well, and finally, Amy was back on the rocky edge.

Once she was safe, the Doctor threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Oh Amy!" He whispered, his tears trickling into her hair. "I thought that I'd lost you!"

"Never." She teased, though her voice was weak from her ordeal. That had to be her most terrifying experience so far.

"I love you." The Doctor cried, peppering her face with kisses. It was an action so unlike the Doctor, but Amy didn't mind.

"We have to keep moving! We have four minutes before this place erupts!" Samantha announced worriedly, and everyone immediately snapped back into action.

The TARDIS was only on the other side of the ridge, and the Doctor raced forward to unlock the door.

"Yes, it's bigger on the inside, but you all know that because you've seen my mind!" He muttered as he held the door open for everyone. "Amy, pull down the green lever!"

Amy rushed to the console and did what he said, sinking into one of the console chairs once she realised that they were all safe.

The Doctor bounded up to the console, and hit a few more switches. "We'll be in England in six minutes." He told them. "That'll give you enough time to get the minerals you need."

"What do you mean?" Ronald asked in confusion.

The Doctor smiled and pointed at the stairs. "Third corridor, second door on the left. A room I like to refer to as my prop room. You should find everything that you were trying to excavate in there."

Samantha's face lit up, and she threw her arms around the Doctor. "Thank you so much!" She cried happily, tears shining in her eyes.

Ronald hugged the Doctor as well before dashing up the stairs with Samantha.

Chris looked at the Doctor sheepishly. "I don't think I should find the minerals to get a Knighthood. I don't deserve it. I killed a rare alien, and I nearly got Amy killed."

The Doctor grinned, something that surprised both Amy and Chris. "Realising what you've done wrong is something to forgive." He told him. "Besides, the alien isn't dead. It can survive volcanic conditions. And you helped me save Amy. I can never repay you enough for that. So go! Go and collect your reward!"

Chris smiled, the first genuine smile Amy had ever seen him use. "Thank you." He told them sincerely. "I'm sorry for the way I acted when you both came to the base, and I'm sorry I acted out of selfishness."

The Doctor nodded and slapped his back heartily. "I know you are. You're a good man Chris."

"But not as good as you." He replied softly.

"Don't worry, no one can match the Doctor." Amy said fondly, beaming at him.

The Doctor grinned back at her, realising that when she smiled at him like that, he finally felt complete. The dull pang he'd felt over the past few years was gone.

Amy was the missing part that he'd always needed.

She was his life.

~I~

After they'd said their goodbyes to their new friends, with promises to reunite with them some day, Amy and the Doctor returned to the TARDIS, both silent as they thought about the events of the previous day.

The Doctor pressed a lever down on the console, taking the ship away from the Earth. Amy joined him, and rested her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head lovingly, before turning around slightly to face her.

Amy raised her head, and felt herself frowning slightly at the Doctor's thoughtful expression. "What are you thinking about?" She asked him quietly, resting her hand against his face.

The Doctor leaned into her touch, and placed his hand over hers. "I nearly lost you today." He whispered brokenly, and Amy instinctively took a step closer to him.

"I'm here now." She murmured, resting her other hand on his shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere. You have me forever."

"Forever." The Doctor echoed, and he lowered his head to capture her lips with his.

What was intended to be a sweet kiss quickly turned into something more. The Doctor's hands travelled to Amy's hips, and he pulled her body flush against his.

Amy's hands slid into his hair, and she tugged at it, her movements become more desperate as the desire between them mounted.

They both had no idea what was happening, but they were suddenly overwhelmed by strong waves of desperation and passion. They couldn't stop kissing and holding each other.

And before either of them could stop it, the Doctor had scooped Amy into his arms and carried her up the console stairs to his bedroom.

* * *

**I think the phrase; 'insert lemon here' is appropriate for the ending ;D**

**Sorry to be a tease, but this story will not become an 'M' fic. However, if you are looking for one, then check out my other DW fanfic, 'It's Always Been You', which is (and will be) full of lemony goodness, angst and romance!**

**Hayley x**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.

**A/N: Hey everyone, sorry for the long wait for an update. Life just got pretty hectic.**

**And I'm sorry for not replying to reviews as well, but thank you to:**

**Elena Fisher**

**Tvshowobsessed2**

**Nevercallmesane**

**Tom10320**

**JuliaAurelia**

**Kisses to you all! Mwah :)**

**Now, enjoy the fluffy chapter!**

* * *

Amy's first conscious thought when she awoke later was, 'This isn't my bed.'

She opened her eyes slowly, squinting at the light illuminating from the TARDIS walls. Groaning, she rolled over, only to knock into another body in the bed.

"Don't hog all of the bed space Pond." She heard the Doctor whisper, and she opened her eyes fully.

Memories from the night before swam into her mind when she saw his grinning face, and she felt her face blush. "Don't hog all of the duvet then!" She replied, turning back around to conceal her embarrassment from him.

Warm arms wrapped around her waist, and the Doctor pulled her back so that his chest was pressed against her back.

"Why are you embarrassed?" He whispered, kissing the back of her neck softly.

Amy smiled at his tenderness before answering. "I'm not embarrassed. I never get embarrassed."

"So why are you blushing?"

"Because I have a fever." She replied jokingly, turning around to face him again. "I think I need a Doctor."

The Doctor laughed loudly at that, and his laughter rang out around the large bedroom. "Only you would make a joke like that after everything that happened yesterday!" He commented, rolling onto his back so Amy could curl up against him.

"What happened yesterday?" She asked teasingly, resting her head on his chest.

The Doctor pretended to be offended. "You can't tell me that you forgot about everything that happened."

Amy tilted her head to grin cheekily at him. "I think that I have. Maybe you could refresh my memory?"

The Doctor's eyes twinkled playfully at her. "By taking you to the volcano?"

"Why not? After all, I don't think anything happened after we went there." Amy teased, and the Doctor hit her playfully before encircling his arms around her waist again.

"If that's how you feel, then I guess nothing did happen…" The Doctor let his voice trail off, and guessed that it would only take Amy a few seconds to take back what she had said.

He was right. He counted three seconds before Amy sat up and grinned down at him. "As if I could forget!" She chuckled, ruffling his already messy hair.

Her face softened as she gazed down at the only man she'd ever loved, and she placed her hand on his cheek. "Last night was amazing, and completely unforgettable." She murmured.

The Doctor smiled and opened his arms, and Amy returned to his embrace immediately. He didn't need to say anything; they both knew exactly how the other was feeling.

They were both content to just hold each other for a moment, something Amy found quite strange as the Doctor was constantly talking or moving about, being the ball of energy that he was. But she didn't mind his silence either. She welcomed it.

~I~

A shrill ring of the TARDIS phone interrupted the tranquil atmosphere a few minutes later, and Amy groaned and nudged the Doctor. "Get the phone!" She instructed, disentangling herself from his embrace and closing her eyes. "I'm going to get some more sleep."

The Doctor frowned and pulled the duvet away from her. "Why should I get the phone?"

"Because." She replied simply.

"Because what?"

She opened her eyes to glare at him. "Because you own the TARDIS, so you own the phone, therefore, answering it is your responsibility." She finished her speech by pulling the duvet back from him and pulling it over her head.

"But it might be Tom Cruise on the phone." The Doctor hinted, and he grinned when Amy bolted upright.

"Well then, why didn't you say so before?" She demanded excitedly, bounding out of the bed to pick up her dressing gown, which had been conveniently placed in the Doctor's bedroom.

_Good old TARDIS._

But just as she headed out of the door to run to the console room, the ringing stopped.

"Hello? TARDIS hotline, how may I help you?" She heard the Doctor say, and she spun around to walk back into the bedroom.

"You have a phone in your bedroom?" She hissed accusingly. "Why didn't you tell me that?"

The Doctor simply shushed her. "Yes, this is he." He replied into the phone.

Suddenly his face lit up. "My reservation is today? Magnificent. Thank you very much Sir! I just have one request, the table is now for two people, not just for one, so could you put an extra chair out?"

Amy heard the person on the other end of the line agree, and she shot the Doctor a confused look.

He turned to look at her, and he gave her a thumbs- up sign, though Amy wasn't sure why he did.

"Well, I look forward to seeing you!" The Doctor said cheerfully. "Goodbye!"

After he'd hung up, Amy repeated her previous question. "Since when have you had a phone in your room?"

"Since I decided that installing extension phone lines would be useful. There's even a phone in my shower!" He said proudly.

"So you were going to let me run to the console room when I could have just picked up the phone in your bedroom?" She asked in disbelief.

"Well, I thought you knew that there was a phone under the bed." He shrugged, sitting up and reaching for his dressing gown.

"Yes, of course I did, for there is always a phone under the bed." Amy replied dryly.

"There is in the 23rd century in England." The Doctor quipped, and Amy smacked his chest as he walked past her.

As they headed out of the bedroom, Amy caught sight of something. "A Star Wars poster? Really?" She stated incredulously, pointing at the large poster situated by the Doctor's bedroom door.

"Hey, it's vintage!" He protested, placing his hands on her shoulders and steering her out of the room. "Now enough of mocking my bedroom. We need to get dressed for dinner!"

"Dinner? But we've just woken up!"

"Yes, but I finally have a reservation for the Earth Buffet at the Laxvilica Restaurant on the Planet…wait for it…Laxvilica!" He announced gleefully.

"Original." Amy commented sarcastically. "So what's this Earth Buffet then? They better not serve any humans."

"No, that's only in the Petrelia restautant." The Doctor told her. "And don't worry, we'll avoid that part of Laxvilica. The Earth buffet is just food from your time period, served in a buffet. You're probably not familiar with the term 'buffet', but it's basically where you can—"

"Doctor, I know what a buffet is. There are buffets on Earth you know."

The Doctor stopped short at that. "Really?"

Amy nodded slowly. "Yes. Didn't you know that?"

"I didn't think it was a common concept in the 21st century. Oh well, I guess you learn something new everyday!"

"I certainly do, from you." Amy agreed. "But then, you're practically a walking encyclopaedia. Well, except that you lack knowledge about 21st century buffets."

"Lack?" The Doctor scoffed. "Well, knowing how to split an atom is more important compared to knowing about buffets!"

"For you, yes." Amy said as they walked into the wardrobe to change. "But I'd take Chinese buffet food over a Physics lesson any day!"

The Doctor was officially confused. Not something that happened very often. "What?"

Amy just laughed and shook her head. "Don't worry about it. So, how come this restaurant has randomly phoned you up now?"

"Because I've been on the waiting list for thirty years and now it's my turn to eat there."

"A thirty year waiting list?" Amy gasped. "That's impossible."

"Not really. If you count all of the species in the Laxvilican galaxy plus all of the tourists, plus all of the—"

"Right, I get you!" Amy interrupted, placing her hand over his mouth. "Now, let's talk about more important things!"

"Atoms?" The Doctor asked; his voice muffled from her hand.

"No. What we're going to wear!" She replied, removing her hand and gesturing to her wardrobe. "What's considered acceptable in the Laxvilica restaurant?"

"Bow ties and tweed jackets." The Doctor responded immediately.

"For girls!"

"I don't know! I've never been a girl, nor have I bought a girl to that planet, so my knowledge of Laxvilican fashion is practically nothing. The decision is up to you." The Doctor replied, already rummaging through his wardrobe for his favourite blue bow tie. "But blue would be a nice colour to wear." He added as an afterthought.

"Fine. I'll wear blue just this once." Amy grumbled, taking out a mid-thigh blue dress and blue flats. "But I refuse to be accessorise with you again! Couples who match their clothes and colours are just weird."

"Amy, you can't get weirder than us." The Doctor pointed out, eyeing his crazy bed-hair in the mirror of the wardrobe. "Now, where did I put my comb?"

~I~

"Okay…" Amy said slowly, gazing up at the sight before them. "This is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. No, scratch that, _the_ most beautiful."

The Doctor grinned smugly and adjusted his bowtie.

"There's just one problem."

The Doctor's smirk faded. "What's that?"

Amy gestured to their outfits, and then to the surroundings. "We don't match!"

Planet Laxvilica was a purple crystal planet, and every building there had been constructed with amethyst and purple diamonds. Amy doubted that the Emerald City from 'The Wizard of Oz' could compare to it.

Amy and the Doctor clearly didn't match the scene, not with their identical blue outfits. Amy though was slightly relieved that she'd managed to persuade the Doctor to swap his tweed jacket for a tuxedo, but he'd refused to take off his blue shirt and bow tie. She'd even managed to comb his hair back for him, making him look sophisticated for the first time in his eleventh life. He almost didn't look like her Raggedy Doctor, but the new look was somewhat of an improvement.

"Purple and blue are beautiful colours!" The Doctor argued. "And when you mix them together, you get indigo, or violent, depending on what shades you use. Or a very, very dark purple, so dark that it's almost black. Anyway, the point is that they're all magnificent colours! We fit in perfectly."

Amy laughed and shook her head. "Whatever you say Doctor. Now, where's this restaurant?"

"You mean you don't know? I thought it was obvious!" The Doctor replied, nodding at the purple diamond palace in front of them.

Amy felt her mouth fall open. "Shut up." She whispered in awe.

"Not likely." The Doctor chuckled, offering her his arm, which she took. "So, now that you've finished staring at everything, can we go and eat?"

"You're absolutely positive that they don't serve humans in the buffet?" Amy checked anxiously.

"Pond, would I really take you to a restaurant that had humans on the menu?"

"Well, you did take me to a mechanical alien zoo that had tourists who liked to eat humans." She reminded him.

"Touché." The Doctor relented, leading them into the palace. "Now, could we forget all about that please? I want to have a nice, relaxing dinner, without any fights or getting into trouble."

Amy snorted at that. "Doctor, we can't last a whole evening without getting into some sort of trouble. You'll find out that the waitresses here are in fact daleks or something like that, and then we'll be running all over the place in our formal clothes, trying to save the day!"

The Doctor thought over her comment, before nodding. "You're right. And that's why you need to keep me out of trouble. If you catch anyone staring at me, or if you catch me staring at anyone, keep my attention on you. I don't want to meddle with anything."

Amy pretended to be concerned, and she placed her hand on the Doctor's forehead. "Are you sure you're not sick?" She teased. "I know how much you love to meddle in affairs."

"Well, not today." He replied as they began to walk over to the entrance podium. "I just want to have a nice, enjoyable evening out with you. Is that so much to ask?"

Amy eyed him suspiciously. "You're acting like this is our first date or something."

The Doctor feigned ignorance. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"It is, isn't it?" Amy realised. "Oh Doctor, that's so cute!"

He turned his head to conceal his embarrassment, but Amy saw through him anyway. "You are possibly the sweetest being I have ever known." She whispered, leaning up on her tiptoes and kissing his cheek.

A beam spread across the Doctor's face. "I could say the same thing about you." He murmured back.

"Good evening Sir, Madam." A loud, smooth voice chimed, and Amy and the Doctor reluctantly turned their eyes away from each other to the podium, where a tall purple alien was smiling at them. "Do you have a reservation?"

Grinning, the Doctor nodded and pulled out a purple envelope, and Amy was surprised that he wasn't using his psychic paper. "Here we go!" He told the alien cheerily.

The alien pulled out a piece of paper, purple of course, and nodded. "Welcome to the Laxvilica restaurant! We hope you enjoy your dinner with us this evening. Go right through and help yourselves to our delicacy of the day: Earth Meals. Your table is number 11."

"I love that number." The Doctor commented as they walked into the dining area.

"You _are_ that number!" Amy grinned. "So of course you—oh my God!"

The room that they had just walked into stunned her more than the outside had, causing her to break off mid-sentence.

The Dining Hall was enormous. The walls were purple crystal, piped with purple satin and other purple materials that Amy didn't recognise. The ceiling was glass, and she could see the purple twilight as it stretched out across the sky, illuminating the faintest of stars.

There was a large table nearby, with enough food to feed the entire population of England, and their table was close to it, situated near to the bar as well.

Their table had two silver chairs, with purple diamonds encrusted in the metal, and it was covered with a lavender coloured tablecloth. Small purple fairy lights floated in the air above the table, twinkling down at them.

Amy was too amazed to speak, so she just squeezed the Doctor's arm. He understood her wonder; feeling astounded himself, and he guided her over to the Buffet table.

The first food Amy spotted was a plate of fish fingers, and she placed herself in front of them, concealing them from the Doctor.

But it was too late, as the Doctor had already seen them. He'd also seen a bowl of custard in the dessert section.

Beaming happily, he began to pour some custard onto a plate, and Amy let out a groan. "Oh no."

"Oh _yes_!" He cried, turning to the fish fingers and scooping some onto his plate. "Now, what goes with fish fingers and custard?"

"Absolutely nothing." Amy told him. "Can you please eat like a normal human?"

"Amy, have you seen what the other aliens are eating? My dish is normal compared to theirs."

Amy had to agree that he was right when she glanced around the Dining Hall. There were some aliens that had chocolate sauce over their pizza, mint ice cream on top of their pasta and toffee chunks on their chicken.

"Okay. Go wild." She relented, and the Doctor let out a little cheer as he began to pile more food on his plate.

Amy decided to stay traditional, so she chose some chicken and some potatoes, and the Doctor then told her that her choice of meal was boring.

Balancing three plates, the Doctor made his way back over to the table and Amy rolled her eyes as she followed him, carrying her one, _normal_ plate.

"Amy, tell me what you drink on Earth." The Doctor instructed as they sat down. "I don't have a clue about what I could drink to wash down this food!"

Amy didn't either. The Doctor's food choices were certainly interesting. "Beer?" She suggested, studying the drinks menu. "That's a typical male drink."

"Nothing alcoholic." He replied, already digging into his meal. "Maybe something sweet?"

"What, like chocolate milkshake?"

"Milkshake? Brilliant. I'll have a glass of that." He gave her a beseeching look, and Amy sighed and rose to her feet.

"I'll go and get it then, shall I?" She said, and the Doctor grinned at her, and it was impossible to stop herself from smiling back.

Amy headed over to the bar, and spoke to another purple alien. "Excuse me, could I have a glass of coke and a glass of chocolate milkshake please?" She asked politely.

The alien nodded and bowed deeply. "Of course madam. Give me a minute."

Amy thanked it and perched on one of the bar stools. She gazed around at the other aliens sitting beside her, marvelling their multi-coloured skin before her gaze fell on a man that looked human.

He met her gaze, and gave her a dazzling smile, and Amy smiled back. When he winked at her, she quickly glanced away, reluctant to flirt back.

She sneaked a glance back at the Doctor, but he was only focused on his food. He'd almost finished half of one of his plates already.

"Here you are madam." The alien spoke up, placing the drinks in front of her.

"Thank you very much." She replied, picking up the glasses and walking back over to the Doctor.

"Amy Pond, you are fantastic!" The Doctor praised her as she sat back down. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome." Amy smiled, reaching out and wiping custard from the Doctor's upper lip.

As she dug into her meal, she glanced up and caught the eye of the man from the bar again. He winked at her for a second time, and she frowned and dropped her eyes to her plate. Having someone flirt with her whilst she was on a date with another man wasn't a comfortable situation to be in at all.

But it was almost as if she couldn't resist. She glanced up again, but this time the man was studying the Doctor, who was completely oblivious.

Amy thought it was odd that he was staring at the Doctor the same way he was looking at her, so she contemplated telling the Doctor about him. He'd asked her not to alert him to any attention focused at them, but she felt really awkward under this man's intense gaze.

"Doctor?" She spoke up, and he glanced up at her. "There's a man at the bar that keeps staring at us."

The Doctor frowned slightly and turned his gaze to the bar. "Amy, what did I tell you about—uh-oh."

"What is it?" Amy asked him worriedly. "Do you know him or something?"

The Doctor turned his eyes back to her. "Let's just say he has an enormous crush on me." He responded dryly.

'That would explain why he's staring at us." Amy commented back, eyeing the man again.

"What?"

"And why he's coming over right now."

"We have to get out of here!" The Doctor hissed, pushing back his plate and rising to his feet. "Before he—"

"I caught you both staring at me." A familiar, American voice said, and the Doctor groaned quietly. "So, why don't we head back to mine for a rendezvous?"

* * *

**GUESS WHO'S BACK :D**

**By the way, t****he next chapter is fluffy as well, but prepare yourselves for the future drama :) Teehee!**

**Hayley x**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.**

**A/N: I'm thrilled that you're excited about Captain Jack returning :D He's only in this chapter, but don't worry, he will be making appearances often in this story. I love him too much not to make him part of my story :)**

**Enjoy this fluffy chapter! :D**

* * *

_I caught you both staring at me." A familiar, American voice said, and the Doctor groaned quietly. "So, why don't we head back to mine for a rendezvous?"_

Amy and the Doctor stared back at him, appalled.

The man could see that he hadn't won them over. "Look! We're all wearing blue. This is meant to be!" He gestured down to his blue trench coat, and Amy felt a smile tug at her lips.

The Doctor groaned in exasperation, and he sat back down in his chair. "Captain Jack Harkness, you never change!" He sighed in frustration.

Realisation dawned on Jack. "No way!" He breathed, bending down and peering into the Doctor's eyes. "Is that you Doctor?"

The Doctor leaned backwards, disliking the close proximity. "Yes, it's me."

"You've changed." Jack commented, and the Doctor rolled his eyes. "What's with the bowtie?"

"Nice to see you too Jack." The Doctor muttered back.

Jack grinned impishly. "You know it. It's great to see you again too. So, you're a bowtie man now?"

The Doctor straightened his bowtie proudly. "Bowties are cool!" He informed him.

"Whatever you say Doc." Jack's attention left the Doctor and he turned to Amy. "So, who's your friend?"

"I'm Amy, and you could have asked me yourself you know." Amy snapped, disliking the way he acted like she wasn't there.

But Jack's grin only widened. "Hey Darling."

"If you think your American accent will charm me, you're mistaken." Amy told him with a glare, and the Doctor stifled a chuckle.

Jack nodded approvingly. "Feisty. Scottish. Redhead. I can see why you like her."

The Doctor had to smile at that, which made Amy direct her glare at him.

"So, mind if I take her away with me instead?" Jack continued, and both Amy and the Doctor's eyes narrowed at the same time.

"She's mine." The Doctor said possessively, and Amy raised her eyebrows at him, though she didn't mind him saying that. Not at all.

Jack studied the Doctor's expression, and he recognised the same love in his eyes that the Doctor's previous regeneration had for Rose. He let out a wolf-whistle, and said, "Ah. I get it. You two are together. But I'm still up for a ménage-et-trois."

Amy and the Doctor both shoved him at the same time, but they were unable to keep from smiling.

Amy didn't like the way he had spoken to her, but there was just something about him that she really liked. She could see why the Doctor liked him, despite wanting to avoid him earlier.

"So, what's the history between you two then?" She asked curiously, looking between the two men.

Jack pulled up a chair from another table and slung his arm around the Doctor's shoulders. "We were a couple about 150 years ago." He told her, and Amy felt her jaw drop.

The Doctor pushed Jack away. "No Amy, don't believe him. We have never been a couple, despite his best efforts."

"Oh Doctor, I'm hung up on you for life." Jack said dramatically. "You're quite the catch, don't you agree Amy?"

Amy nodded her agreement. "Of course. But, unlike you, I managed to catch him. Hook, line and sinker."

Jack pretended to be upset. "You stole my only love away from me!" He cried, which made Amy erupt into laughter.

The Doctor shook his head at them, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling. Sitting with his old friend and his new lover, he couldn't have been happier.

~I~

Jack and Amy bonded immediately, despite their somewhat turbulent introduction to each other in the restaurant. The Doctor was thrilled by their friendship, and he asked Jack to travel with them for a while. He agreed, and the trio had some of the best adventures together. They explored a jungle full of talking wildflowers, they visited a space camp of monkeys and ventured on a sightseeing tour of the stars with them.

But Jack had a boyfriend back home, a relationship that Amy had learnt that the Doctor had set up. Jack began to miss Alonzo after a while, so he asked the Doctor to take him home. But he wasn't leaving until he'd been swimming in the TARDIS pool, so the Doctor had gone swimming with him.

Amy had joined them in the poolroom, but she was much happier lying on one of the pool chairs and reading a book from the Doctor's library. He had such a variety of books that it had been hard to choose just one to read, but she figured that she'd have the rest of her life to read them, so she decided to start from 'A' and work her way to 'Z'.

"Amy, you're so boring!" Jack whined from the pool. "Come and play volleyball with the Doctor and I."

"I'm good here, thanks!" Amy called back, without looking up from her book.

Jack let out a grumble and swiped the ball out of the Doctor's hands. He threw the ball at her, knocking the book to the floor, which made both Amy and the Doctor shriek.

"That is a valuable edition!" The Doctor barked, splashing Jack with water.

"It's okay, it's fine!" Amy assured him after picking the book up from the tiles.

"Good. You don't need to play doctor with it now, so come in the pool!" Jack begged.

Amy shook her head and turned her attention back to her book.

Moments later, she heard the Doctor say something about getting all of them a drink, but she didn't look up from her book.

She assumed that Jack had gone with him, so she placed down her book and stood up, intending to go after them.

But muscular arms suddenly wrapped themselves around her, and she could tell that it was Jack.

"What are you doing?" She shrieked, flailing in his embrace.

"You're coming swimming with me!" Jack replied, smirking as he scooped her up and carried her over to the pool.

"Don't even think about it!" She yelled as he stopped next to the water.

"I already have!" He laughed, and he threw her into the pool.

Amy fell towards the pool, her scream abruptly cut off as she was submerged in the water. She swam back to the surface to glare at Jack, who was now laughing uncontrollably.

"Your face!" He chortled, clutching his side with one hand and pointing at her with the other. "Priceless!"

"I'm glad that you find this so funny!" Amy hissed, adjusting her green bikini. "Because I certainly don't!"

The Doctor came back into the poolroom then with a tray of three lemonades, and when he saw a drenched, fuming Amy, he began to laugh along with Jack.

"If you don't stop laughing mister, I'll do something you'll regret!" She shouted at him, and the Doctor stopped laughing immediately.

Knowing he had to take Amy's side, he put the tray of lemonade down and headed over to them. Jack turned around to high-five him, but the Doctor pushed him into the pool.

With a loud splash, Jack fell into the pool, and Amy let out a loud cheer. "You're my hero!" She grinned, smoothing down her wet hair.

The Doctor grinned back and leapt into the pool after him.

Jack emerged from the water and glared at him. "What did I ever do to you?" He demanded.

"You threatened Amy." The Doctor replied simply.

"Hmmm, I wonder if she'd punish me if I did this…" Before the Doctor could react, Jack had shoved him down under the water, keeping his hand on his head to stop him from swimming back up.

Amy swam over to them to save the Doctor, and she threw herself at Jack, causing them both to fall back into the water.

The Doctor was released, and he swam back to the surface, laughing at Amy and Jack's wrestling. Amy was winning, but he knew that Jack was losing on purpose.

"Okay Amy, you win!" Jack declared. "I shall not harm you or the Doctor anymore."

Amy turned to beam at the Doctor. "I saved our lives!" She joked, swimming over to him. She stopped in front of him, and twined her arms around his neck.

"Yes, you saved us!" He replied, slipping his arms around her and hoisting her up so he could gaze up at her.

"What's my prize?" She asked him teasingly, wrapping her legs around his waist.

The Doctor grinned up at her. "I wasn't aware that heroes were awarded."

"I'm different to other heroes. So come on, monkey boy, what's my prize?"

"Monkey boy!" Jack spluttered from behind them. "I thought of 'bowtie boy', but I like your nickname so much better."

The Doctor frowned at them both. "I'll take 'bowtie' boy over 'monkey boy'." He told them, but Jack shook his head.

"Nope, Amy's nickname is perfect."

Amy cheered in triumph, and the Doctor sighed.

"I'll give you a prize if you don't call me that anymore." He said, and Amy quickly agreed, despite Jack's protests.

"How about a ziphilian clock? No? How about a purple waterbed then?" He asked her, and Amy wrinkled her nose at the two choices.

"No thanks Doctor, I was kind of going for something a bit more…physical." Ignoring Jack's catcalls, she pressed her lips to the Doctor, smiling when she felt his mouth fall open in surprise.

"Amy, this really isn't suitable around Jack." The Doctor murmured, but for some reason, he couldn't tear his lips away from hers.

Amy slid her body down so that her shoulders were underwater like the Doctor's, giving them a closer proximity. Keeping her legs around his waist, she leant back in the water, inviting the Doctor to kiss her again.

"I'm just going to entertain myself with the volleyball for a while." They heard Jack say to them, but both were too preoccupied to respond.

The Doctor leaned forward to kiss her, keeping his arms securely around her as their kiss deepened. He moved their bodies over to the pool wall, and he pressed her up against it.

"Room for one more?" Jack asked, and the Doctor broke the kiss to turn his head and frown at him.

"Do you really think there is?" He asked him, which made Jack laugh.

"Right. I'll leave you two lovebirds to it then." Jack said, swimming over to the ladder.

"You're leaving already?" Amy asked him sadly.

"Oh God no! Not before I use the Doctor's hot tub." He replied cheekily. "I was just giving you both some privacy. Besides, I want a volleyball game with you Miss Pond before I leave!"

Amy and the Doctor both laughed, and waved him off as he walked out of the poolroom, leaving them alone.

~I~

After splashing around with the Doctor for a few more minutes, Amy climbed out of the pool to return to her chair and continue reading, suddenly exhausted.

She towelled herself dry and laid back on the chair, sighing with happiness.

The Doctor watched her read as he dried himself off, and once he'd finished, he joined her, perching on the end of her chair.

"Good book you have there. I helped write it actually." The Doctor told her, tapping the book with his finger.

Amy just shushed him and moved the book out of his reach so he couldn't tap it again.

The Doctor watched her again for a few more moments, before climbing on top of her, resting his head on her chest so he could hear her heartbeat.

Amy couldn't help but smile at the small, tender embrace, and she ran her fingers through his wet hair, giggling when he hummed in contentment. She lowered the book so they could both read along together, but the Doctor was more interested in watching her. He enjoyed the way her face would change at different moments in the book, her face frowning one moment, and then smiling the next.

But a Time Lord can only stare at something for so long. The Doctor tilted his chin to kiss Amy's jaw, and he mumbled, "Amy, I'm bored."

"Go and find something to entertain yourself with then." She replied distractedly, turning a page over in her book.

The Doctor grinned and stretched his body so that his face hovered over hers, obscuring her view of the book. "Found something." He murmured, resting his forehead against hers.

Amy laughed and ran her hand through his hair again, and the Doctor tightened his arms around her. "I'm not going swimming with you." She told him sternly, placing the book on the floor.

"I don't want to go swimming." The Doctor whispered, brushing his lips against hers. "I just want to stay here."

"And do what?" Amy whispered back, though she knew exactly what he wanted. Deciding to meet his silent request, she responded to his kiss, sliding her fingers into his hair.

They kissed softly, exploring each other's mouths slowly. They were in no rush to move any further than that. There was no death or danger hovering over them, and they had all of the time in the universe to love each other.

"Doctor, I have to say that your hot-tub is one of the be—_oh!_"

The Doctor pulled away from Amy to grin at Jack. "I know. It is the best in the World."

Jack eyed the two of them. "Do I need to go and find something else to do again?"

Amy smiled at that. "No, we can play volleyball now, if you want to."

Jack punched the air in triumph. "Finally! Come on then Amy, do your worst!" He yelled, diving back into the pool.

The Doctor climbed off Amy and helped her to feet. Hand-in-hand, they ran towards the pool, both laughing as they jumped into the water together.

~I~

"Oh Jack, I hate to say it, but I'm going to miss you." The Doctor told him sadly, after they'd gotten changed. "It's been great having you with us."

"All you have to do is tell me that you love me, and then maybe I'll stay." Jack teased, which the Doctor sighed and rolled his eyes at. "I'm just kidding monkey boy, now give me a hug!"

Grinning, the Doctor embraced him, and now it was Amy's turn to roll her eyes when they slapped each other on the back, as if to make the hug more masculine. Men.

"Hey Doctor?" Jack whispered, so that Amy wouldn't hear him. "I've never seen you so happy. Just marry her."

The Doctor's smile faded, and he pulled back to gaze at his friend. "If only it were that simple." He replied wryly, thinking about their differences and Amy's fiancée.

Jack sighed before turning to Amy. "Miss Amelia Pond, it has been an absolute pleasure!" He beamed, wrapping her up in his arms. "You know where I am if you ever get bored of the Doctor."

Amy laughed and returned his hug just as tightly. "Oh Jack, I'll miss you so much!"

"You'll see me again." Jack told her quietly, and not even the Doctor could hear what he was saying, even though he had sharpened senses. "On your wedding day to him for instance, though I expect to hear from you beforehand so I can help you buy a wedding dress."

Amy surprised herself when she agreed to the idea, though Jack just grinned knowingly. "Look after him, will you?" He asked her as he released her and slapped her backside. "He's getting old, so he needs a young girl like you to look after him. Like a granddaughter. "

"Very funny Jack." Amy muttered sarcastically, giving him a playful shove. "Now get out of here before I find myself begging for you to stay."

"Now that is a sight I would love to see!" Jack called over his shoulder as the Doctor walked with him out of the door. "Bye Amy!"

"Bye!" Amy called back, waving goodbye to the Doctor as well, who wanted to see Alonzo for a few minutes.

She shut the TARDIS doors behind them and bounded over to the console. "Now we just have to wait for our man to get back." She said to the TARDIS, laughing when she felt the ship hum in agreement.

Suddenly a loud bird chirping filled the console room, and Amy collapsed onto the floor, shutting her eyes in exhaustion as she drifted off to sleep.

~I~

After the Doctor had caught up with Alonzo and heard things about Jack that he'd never wanted to know, he bid them goodbye and headed back to the TARDIS.

"Hey Amy, I was thinking that we should go and watch the Leaning Tower of Pisa being built!" He called as he shut the TARDIS doors behind him. "The structure may be wonky, but it'll be fascinating to watch how they—" But he broke off when he caught sight of Amy on the floor.

"Amy!" He cried, running up the stairs towards her. "Amy!"

But a chirping sound drowned out his cries, and the Doctor stumbled backwards, fatigue overtaking him as he fell to the floor.

* * *

**I think you can all guess which DW episode the next few chapters will be about. It will have a huge twist though…so it will be different :)**

**Now, if you want more DW fics to read, I recommend 'Surrounding by Romans' by Tom10320. Not only is it well-written, but the characterisation and plot is absolutely fantastic. You can find the story on my favourites :) And it's completed as well, with a sequel to come, so that's another bonus :D**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.**

**A/N: OH MY GOD! PLEASE TELL ME THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE READ WHAT MOFFAT SAID ABOUT AMY AND THE DOCTOR IN SERIES SIX!**

**If you haven't, I'll quote it now…**

'_**The Doctor's relationship with Amy Pond is to be exposed in an upcoming 'Doctor Who' episode.**_

_**Sci-fi show boss Steven Moffat has revealed how fans of the show will "gasp" in amazement when the "true nature" of the friendship between the Time Lord - played by Matt Smith - and his assistant Amy (Karen Gillan) will be revealed in a mysterious new storyline.**_

_**He said: "You'll see The Doctor's life change for ever. You will gasp as the true nature of his relationship with Amy and cry out in horror as Rory Williams stumbles to the brink of a tragic mistake."**_

**What are your thoughts about this? I hope Amy turns out to be the Doctor's wife or something. People are already guessing that she's either River Song or River and the Doctor's daughter. **

**If it turns out that Amy is the Doctor's daughter or sister, then I will delete my Fanfiction account in protest. THAT'S JUST SICK!**

**Anyhow, on with the story! (Remember that this is the beginning of an Amy's Choice storyline teehee.)**

* * *

'And now, time for the 12-o-clock news. Three men have been—'

Amy let out a groan and picked up the remote to turn the television off. She normally liked watching the midday news, but watching it today only reminded her that the Doctor was three hours late.

He had promised her that he'd only be gone for five minutes as he flew to another planet to pick up her meds, but those five minutes had transpired into three hours.

Amy wasn't impressed. At all.

Rubbing her swollen stomach, she heaved herself to her feet, wincing from the pain in her back. She could have popped to the high street and bought the medicine herself in fifteen minutes, but the Doctor had insisted that tablets from Planet Gridam would be best for her condition.

But 'condition' wasn't the right term for what she had. 'Pregnancy from Hell' was more appropriate.

Wherever the Doctor had vanished to, she just hoped he'd picked her up some lunch. Or more specifically: Galaxy chocolate, chocolate grown from the Earth's galaxy 13,000 years in the future. Who knew stars could be cocoa farms? Not Amy, until she'd found some in the Doctor's secret chocolate stash aboard the TARDIS a couple of years ago.

The loud whir of the TARDIS engines interrupted Amy's thoughts, and her previous annoyance returned. If the Doctor thought she was going to run out of the cottage to greet him with open arms and a loving kiss, he was quite mistaken.

Instead, he would face the wrath of his heavily pregnant, human wife.

Amy heard him open the front door then, and she frowned at his cheerful whistling. But then she felt smug that he'd stop soon enough when he saw her stormy expression.

Sure enough, when the Doctor walked into the Living Room, his welcoming smile faded, along with the annoying, out-of-tune whistling. "Amy?" He asked worriedly, taking a step towards her.

"You! Stay back!" She growled at him, holding her hand up in warning.

The Doctor was used to her mood swings by now, so he knew exactly how to deal with them. He reached into his jacket pocket to pull out a bar of Galaxy chocolate, his smile returning when he saw Amy's face light up. "So I guess I can't walk over to you to give you this…I'll just have to eat it by my—"

But Amy had snatched the bar out of his hands before he could finish his sentence. The Doctor chuckled at her as she tore the packet open eagerly, plopping down onto the sofa to enjoy her snack.

He took a seat beside her, slipping one arm around her shoulders and resting one hand tenderly on her stomach. He was tempted to ask her for a piece, but then decided that it wasn't worth it. Amy never shared her chocolate.

When the chocolate was finished, Amy's anger returned, making the Doctor immediately wish that he'd bought her a giant bar instead. "Where have you been?" She hissed, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at him.

The force of her glare was strong enough to make the Doctor remove his hold on her. "You know where I went; to Planet Gridam and the galaxy. And speaking of Planet Gridam, I have your medication." He took out a box of tablets from his pocket and offered them to her, but she knocked them out of his hands.

"I know that!" She cried angrily. "But you promised me five minutes! You've been gone for three hours!"

The Doctor winced at the fury in her voice. "It _would_ have taken me five minutes for the trip to Planet Gridam. But it took an hour to travel to the galaxy, fifty minutes for the star to grow the chocolate you just ate, and another hour to travel back home."

Amy began to soften. "You went all of that way to get me some chocolate?"

"Of course I did," The Doctor murmured tenderly. "I knew the chocolate would make you happy, so I knew that I had to get it."

His wife smiled then, and cupped his face gently with her hands. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

The Doctor grinned, and turned his eyes away from her momentarily to glance at the clock. "Not in the past four hours and sixteen minutes."

"Well, I better make up for lost time." Amy whispered, and as their faces inched closer together, a loud chirping broke the tranquil silence.

Amy's mood changed immediately. "Doctor, I swear to God if you have brought me back birds as some sort of 'labour' present, you can send them back right now!"

The Doctor scanned the room warily. "I can assure you that I didn't. Look, let me kiss you, and then I'll work out where that chirping sound is coming from. Okay?"

Amy was satisfied with that. "Okay," She agreed, but instead of leaning towards the Doctor, she found herself falling backwards, beginning to fall asleep.

The last thing she was aware of was the Doctor's head resting on top of hers before they both drifted off to sleep.

~I~

The Doctor bolted upright, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I always wake up before the best part of the dream." He sighed, lowering his hands to survey his bedroom, ensuring that he was safe in bed and not in that cottage again.

But instead of seeing his bedroom walls, he was staring at the TARDIS console. He knew that he'd fallen asleep in strange places before, the London sewage system being one of them, but he'd never fallen asleep in the console room.

He rose slowly, only to see Amy curled up on the floor on the other side of the console. "Pond? Are you awake?" He called to her softly.

Amy raised her head and nodded at him. "I am, but I don't want to be. I just had the most amazing dream."

"Well, lucky you." The Doctor muttered darkly, walking over to her to help her to her feet. "I had the strangest, most impossible dream."

"What was it about?" Amy asked curiously. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"Honestly, I don't think you want to know." He sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Was it that bad?" She asked softly, standing on her tiptoes to slip her arms around his neck.

The Doctor shrugged and crushed her body to his, relief flooding through him when he felt her flat stomach. "Not particularly bad, just impossible."

"Mine was pretty impossible too. Incredibly impossible."

The Doctor released her from his embrace and turned his attention to the TARDIS console. He wasn't sure where they were at the moment, but he had a bad feeling about it.

Amy sat down on one of the TARDIS chairs, rubbing her stomach absent-mindedly as she watched the Doctor work.

However, that small gesture didn't go unnoticed by the Doctor. "Any reason why you're rubbing your stomach like that, Pond?" He asked, hoping that she would tell him that she just had stomach pains, not that she'd been nine months pregnant only minutes before.

When Amy didn't reply, he stopped fiddling with the TARDIS controls and kneeled in front of her. "Are you sick?" He asked her worriedly, resting his hand on her forehead to feel her temperature.

Amy giggled, and took his hand in hers, before planting a soft kiss on his lips.

_Better than any dream_, the Doctor noted.

"No, I was just thinking about my dream. I was nine-months pregnant, can you believe it?"

The Doctor was instantly anxious. "Amy, what else happened in the dream?"

She blushed then, and lowered her eyes to her lap. "It's kind of embarrassing…do you really need to know what happened?"

"Every single detail," The Doctor told her firmly.

"Well…I was pregnant…with your baby."

Amy expected the Doctor to be surprised, and a little afraid, but his expression didn't change. "What else?" He asked her quietly.

"You had disappeared to pick up some tablets from some Planet like…Gridit?"

"Gridam." The Doctor corrected.

"Yes, that was it. Wait…how did you know that?" Amy questioned. "Was I talking in my sleep or something?"

The Doctor laughed callously, running his fingers through his hair. "Oh Amy, I wish you had been. But no, you weren't. I believe that we both had the same dream."

Amy's face paled. "But that's impossible!"

"Amy, you were nine months pregnant and I was going to be a father. You can't get more impossible than that," The Doctor sighed, jumping to his feet and helping her up as well. "I think that we need to get out of here, now!"

"But where are we?"

"I don't know!" The Doctor muttered, once again turning away from her to focus on the TARDIS. "Now shut up and let me get us out of here."

Amy was stung by his remark, and she turned around to stomp up the TARDIS staircase. "Fine!" She snapped back. "Sort it out then!"

"I will!" The Doctor shot back, slamming his hand down on a green button.

And then all of the lights went out. The light from the console was the only source of light, and it illuminated the large space dimly.

"Doctor?" Amy whispered, eyeing his frozen form. "What happened?"

"The TARDIS just died," He whispered, staring wide-eyed at the console. "But that's impossible!"

Amy was going to retort that the past few minutes had been impossible, but she held her tongue.

"Oh, this is very, very not good!" The Doctor exclaimed as he began to push levers and hit various buttons. He hoped that the TARDIS would magically come back to life, but it remained immobile.

~I~

Watching the Doctor try to repair his ship broke Amy's heart. His movements were becoming frantic, and he was becoming more agitated as he tried to get the TARDIS working.

"Don't do this to me!" The Doctor cried as he kicked the console with his foot.

He regretted it immediately.

Howling with pain, he grabbed his foot and began to hop up and down awkwardly, and Amy rushed down the stairs to his side. She helped him to a chair, and he sat down, cradling his injured foot.

"Oh Amy, we're stuck," The Doctor whispered, his voice breaking. "I've stuck you here."

Amy placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. "Doctor, don't talk like that. We'll figure something out."

"But Amy, I don't know what's going on!" The Doctor cried. "I know _everything_. But I can't even work out what's overriding my TARDIS!"

Amy simply shushed him and took his face in between her hands. "Look, I know that something strange is happening. But we'll figure something out. We've still got each other."

The Doctor stared into her eyes for a long moment. "You're right," He whispered after a while. "I still have you." He leaned forward and kissed her, temporarily forgetting their situation by losing himself to Amy's kiss.

He pulled her onto his lap, needing to feel as much of her as possible. He could feel himself losing it, and he needed her to help him breathe again.

Amy was only too eager to help him, and she pressed her body against his. "It's okay Doctor," She murmured, breaking their kiss so they could both breathe. "Everything will work out."

The Doctor threw her a helpless glance before tangling his fingers in her hair and bringing her lips back to his.

"Well, it took you two lovebirds long enough to figure out that something was happening!" A loud, male voice suddenly boomed, causing the Doctor and Amy to break apart quickly. "Honestly, I was about to give up on you two. I thought couples were supposed to be honest with each other and tell each other everything. But not you two."

Amy climbed off of the Doctor's lap so they could both stand to confront the new addition to the TARDIS.

The man who had appeared before them was small, a couple of inches shorter than Amy, dressed in a similar manner to the Doctor. His expression was impossible to decipher, but his eyes danced with humour and playfulness.

"Who are you?" The Doctor demanded, gripping Amy's hand tightly. "And how did you get inside the TARDIS?"

The man acted like he hadn't heard him. "But then, you two aren't the average couple. After all, there is 886 years between you…talk about a story to tell your children!"

The Doctor gritted his teeth, and pushing Amy slightly behind him, he took a step towards him. "Who are you?" He demanded again.

This time the man replied. "Well, if you're the Time Lord, let's call me the 'Dream Lord'. I'm here to…well; let's just say I do what it says on the tin. I make you dream."

Amy and the Doctor shared anxious glances, before their eyes returned to the Dream Lord. He grinned wickedly at them before continuing. "Two worlds. One's reality, the other's fake. In both dreams, you face a deadly danger. If you die in the dream, you wake up in reality. Any questions?"

The Doctor was livid now. "Who do you think you—"

"Oooh, what's that I hear?" The Dream Lord asked, cupping his ear and looking around the TARDIS.

The loud tweeting from the cottage was back, and Amy and the Doctor found themselves feeling tired again. Holding onto each other, they both sank to the floor, their eyes closing at the same time.

"Sleep tight…or are you waking up?"

* * *

**I stepped out of my house yesterday to go shopping when I saw a car drive past me, and I swear the Driver was the Dream Lord. I actually did a double-take. (That was a random A/N, but oh well!)**

**Please review; I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you believe the relationship between the Doctor and Amy will be in Series 6. Oh, and also some feedback about my chapter would be great ;D**

**If I get to 300 reviews, (fingers crossed), I'll upload the next chapter tomorrow, PROMISE :D**

**Hayley x **


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.**

**A/N: This Chapter is dedicated to 'MayFairy', who wanted the review count to 300 so she could get the next chapter, so she reviewed other chapters of my story :') Thank you! :D**

**I'm sure you're all thankful to her too for getting the next chapter so quickly. I don't know why…but I'm on a whim at the moment. I love writing this storyline…and a small part of me loves Drama and Angst, teehee!**

**Thank you to everyone else for their reviews as well. You know I love you all. I hope my gratitude shows in this chapter! **

* * *

"I just had the strangest dream." Amy found herself saying as she woke up in the cottage. When she saw the Doctor's irritated face, she groaned and said, "You just had it too, didn't you?"

He nodded and climbed to his feet, holding out his hands for Amy to take, but she batted them away. "I'm not an invalid!" She reminded him as she struggled to her feet without his help.

"I know you aren't." The Doctor said smoothly, allowing himself a smile. "And because you're not an invalid, you can help me figure out what's going on."

"Fat lot of good that will do." Amy replied gloomily, resting her hands on her bump. "I'm so confused. I was hoping you would know what was going on."

"All I know is that we're in a dream, or we're in reality. But I can't tell which is which!" He told her, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Well, this must be reality. I can remember the five years we've been together perfectly." Amy said, wandering into the kitchen to pick up a bowl of raw cookie mixture.

"So can I. But in a dream, your whole life is fabricated!" The Doctor exclaimed, following after her. "Maybe this is the dream…but the other one could be too…I just don't know." He sighed and hopped up to sit on the kitchen counter. "I can barely remember what just happened in the TARDIS!"

"Just like a dream." Amy replied through a mouthful of mixture. She offered the Doctor some, which he declined, before whacking his leg with the spoon, leaving cookie batter on his trousers. "Off of the counter you. You know I don't like it when you sit where I cook!"

Knowing that Amy was prone to snapping at him if he didn't comply, he quickly jumped off. "Sorry." He apologised hastily, rubbing the mixture off of his trousers.

Amy smiled at him for listening to her and returned to eating the batter. The Doctor studied her calm face, the complete opposite of how he was feeling, and wondered why she looked like that. Surely she should have been worried like him.

"You know, it's rude to stare." Amy giggled, dipping her finger into the bowl and smearing batter on his cheek. "What's up Mr Grumpy face?"

"Your attitude is what's up." The Doctor muttered, leaning forward to peer deeply into her eyes. "You were worried a few moments ago, and now you're perfectly fine."

"Doctor, I'm pregnant. I can't help my mood changes." Amy shrugged, laughing it off.

"You can't trust this World Amy. We could be dreaming this. You might not be carrying a real baby." He warned, resting his hand on her pregnant stomach.

Amy's smile faded, and she nodded. "I know that. But this feels so real!"

"Dreams always feel real." The Doctor stated flatly. "That's why I don't like this at all."

"What I don't understand is why this is happening." Amy commented, and the Doctor was relieved to see her worried again. "Who is the Dream Lord and why does he want to confuse us like this? I'm meant to be giving birth today for goodness sake! Does he want me to go into labour now or something?"

Suddenly the doorbell rang, and Amy and the Doctor exchanged confused glances. "You didn't invite anyone over, did you?" He asked her as they both headed for the door.

"No. I would have told you if I had." She replied, opening the front door to see the Dream Lord on their doorstep.

"Amy!" The Dream Lord cried. "Look at you! You've swallowed a planet!"

Amy and the Doctor both tensed, and the Doctor reached out for his wife's hand, squeezing it tightly. "What do you want?" He hissed.

"Don't take that tone with me Mister." The Dream Lord told him sternly, shaking his finger at him. "I only popped in to tell you something else…but if you don't want to know then—"

"We want to know." Amy interrupted impatiently.

"Thank you Amy. Nice to see you can keep your temper. Well, occasionally." He paused to laugh at Amy's furious expression. "Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yes! I forgot to mention that if you die in reality, you die."

"We worked that one out already genius!" Amy snapped, her pregnancy hormones getting the better of her as she slammed the door in the Dream Lord's face.

The Doctor was proud of her spirit, and he beamed with pride.

Though when Amy glanced at him, she thought he was smirking at her. "And you can take that smile right off your face." She growled, storming into the living room as angrily as her bump would allow her to move.

But as the Doctor followed her into the Living Room, the Dream Lord appeared right in front of Amy, causing her to shriek and clutch her stomach.

The Doctor panicked and rushed over to her, ensuring that she was okay. He ignored Amy trying to push him away and looked her over, breathing a sigh of relief when he realised that she was completely fine.

"Get out of my house!" She yelled at the Dream Lord, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at him defiantly.

The Dream Lord licked his lips, unnerving both the Doctor and Amy, before bursting into laughter. "Red head's feisty, bet you enjoy that Doctor!"

The Doctor gritted his teeth, but didn't reply.

"Loves a redhead our naughty Doctor." The Dream Lord continued, winking at them. "And you two really have been naughty. Baby on the way and all that. Hey, I have an idea…can I be the baby's godfather? Unless this is the dream, of course."

Then Amy lost it. "Get out!" She screamed, causing the Doctor to panic about her blood pressure.

The Dream Lord raised in hands in mock surrender. "Don't worry, I'm out of here! But so are you…tweet tweet!"

Loud bird chirping filled the cottage, and Amy latched onto the Doctor as they drifted down onto the floor.

~I~

"That man is so infuriating!" Amy yelled as she pulled herself to her feet in the console room. "I could kill him for what he's doing to us!"

"Shame that he's just a hallucination." The Doctor added, scanning the TARDIS controls with his screwdriver.

As Amy watched him work, she began to shiver. The TARDIS was a lot colder than it was before.

"Doctor, it's really cold!" She complained, folding her arms across her chest to rub her arms. "Do you have any warm clothing?"

The Doctor's head shot up and he glared at her. "Does it matter if we're cold?"

At Amy's hurt gaze, he groaned and rubbed his face with his hands. "Right. Sorry. There should be some stuff…" He trailed off to gesture wildly behind her, "…down there. Have a look."

Amy thanked him quietly, which made the Doctor feel guilty for snapping at her, and she disappeared under the stairs to gather some clothes from an old trunk of the Doctor's.

"Now, if you're not going to work the automatic way, I'm going to have to generate some energy the manual way." The Doctor muttered to the console. "I hope you're happy!"

He ran down the stairs to gather some tools, and underneath the TARDIS console, it was even colder. Shivering, he reached into a white compartment and pulled out a rusty wind-up generator. "Three hundred years old, but you'll do." He remarked, slamming the compartment shut. "Now, I just need to hook you up."

He ran back up the stairs and plugged the generator into the console just as Amy emerged with two blankets, that she'd managed to make into ponchos.

"Here, poncho boy!" She called to the Doctor, tossing him the green tartan blanket. "Put that on!"

The Doctor admired the poncho before pulling it over his head; embracing the warmth it gave him. He kissed Amy on top of the head in gratitude before turning his attention to the generator.

"Hey Doctor, I had a thought." Amy told him after she'd put her own poncho on. "The TARDIS is sort of like a car, yeah? Well, when a car breaks down, and while the driver waits for their service to pick them up, they look through the car manual to see if they can fix the problem themselves. So is there a TARDIS manual we could look at?"

"There was." The Doctor replied, picking up the generator and winding it up. "But I threw it into a supernova."

Amy smacked his arm. "Why did you do that for?"

"Because I disagreed with it! Nothing can tell me how to run my TARDIS except me."

"That is so you." Amy said, unable to resist teasing him. "Now, seeing as we have no manual and the TARDIS is dead, what do we do?"

"I'm doing something now, if you haven't already noticed." The Doctor muttered.

"I just thought you were wasting time." Amy chuckled, sitting down on a console chair and watching him. "What are you doing then?"

"Generating some power so we can see what's outside. Only a few more winds will have the scanner working again."

"If you keep winding that thing up, will the TARDIS power come back on?" Amy asked hopefully.

"It would take me about six years to get the TARDIS working with this generator." The Doctor sighed. "And anyway, we can't ju—aha! We have a picture!"

Amy stood up to stare at the scanner with the Doctor. "Is that a star?" She asked curiously. "It's very pretty."

"Not pretty." The Doctor corrected. "Scary. Very scary."

"It's just a star. Where's the danger in that?"

"It's a cold star, and we're drifting straight towards it!" The Doctor cried, racing down the TARDIS stairs to the doors.

"That explains the temperature." Amy commented, still not aware of the danger. "And now what are you doing?"

"Just need to make sure!" He called to her, yanking open the TARDIS doors.

The sudden bright light blinded Amy, and she covered her face with her hands. The Doctor squinted through the light, and when he saw how close they were to the star, he quickly slammed the door shut.

"My calculations are that we have about fifty minutes before we crash into it!" The Doctor announced, heading back to the console. "But that's not a problem, because we'll have frozen to death before we'd have reached it!"

"Oh whoop-de-do!" Amy cheered sarcastically. "So what do we do?"

"Stay calm. Don't panic. Try to figure out which world is real."

"Well this feels very real!" Amy shivered, drawing her poncho tighter around her.

"You thought that in the cottage too." The Doctor reminded her. "This is going to be a tricky one to figure out."

"Well, if you can't choose, let's turn to Amy!" The Dream Lord suddenly piped up, and Amy and the Doctor spun around to confront him. "Which one's real Amy? You decide. It is Amy's choice after all."

"Leave her alone!" The Doctor growled protectively.

Amy placed a reassuring hand on the Doctor's arm. "Don't worry, I can handle him. This World's real. Right Doctor?"

The Dream Lord vanished before reappearing right next to her. "Are you sure about that? I've seen your dreams Amy. Some of them twice." He leered. "I'd cry with happiness at the family picture, if I had a heart."

Now it was the Doctor who got angry first. "Where did you pick up this cheap cabaret act?" He demanded, towering over the Dream Lord.

"Me?" The Dream Lord asked, pretending to look surprised. "Oh you're on shaky ground."

"Am I?"

"If you had any more tawdry quirks, you could open up a tawdry quirk shop!" The Dream Lord announced, moving closer to the Doctor. "The madcap vehicle, the cockamamie hair, the clothes designed by a first year fashion student...I'm surprised you haven't got a little purple space dog, just to ram home what an intergalactic wag you are!"

Those words stung the Doctor more than they should, and for once, he couldn't think of a comeback. Amy could see that he was hurt by the Dream Lord's comment, and she stepped closer to him to slip her arms around his waist. She couldn't think of a comeback either.

The Dream Lord eyed their embrace before grinning wickedly. "I've given you your challenge. Tweet tweet!"

* * *

**The Dream Lord kicks arse. Just saying. I love his character in the show, and I didn't want to change him too much, so I kept most of his lines. -Don't sue me for Plagiarism haha-**

**Hayley x**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of the characters in it. All rights belong to the BBC, though I would love to own it myself. Sigh.**

**A/N: I am so sorry for not updating sooner. Turns out I have no time for writing when I'm applying to University, having driving lessons and going to people's 18ths. **

**Anyhow, I hope life is treating you all well! :)**

* * *

The Doctor woke up first, and he shook Amy gently to wake her up as well. Her eyes snapped open, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that they were in their cottage.

"Thank God we're back. I couldn't take much more of that freezing temperature." Amy commented, shivering as she thought about what had happened in the TARDIS.

The Doctor sighed and rose to his feet, helping her up as well. "Me either. Clearly the cold star is the danger in that World. But what about the danger in this World?"

"I have no idea." Amy groaned, stretching her back. "I don't even know which one is real." At the Doctor's silence, she continued. "What do you think?"

"I don't know." The Doctor muttered, beginning to pace up and down.

"Okay…" Amy said slowly. "Let me rephrase the question. Which reality do you _want _to be real?"

"The other one, where we're nice and safe in the TARDIS."

"We're not safe there!" Amy disagreed. "We're safer here."

The Doctor shot her a doubtful glance. "You look like you're about to give birth at any moment. How does that make us safe here, especially when there's a danger to face?"

"Because Rory's helping us deliver our baby!" Amy reminded him. "And you can look out for the danger. See? Safe!"

"Don't mention his name to me!" Her husband growled, and Rory's name was the last straw.

Frustrated with both situations and Amy's ex fiancée, he decided that the only way to vent his anger was to kick the coffee table, sending Amy's vase of flowers crashing to the floor. The glass shattered, and Amy gasped.

"Clean that up right now!" She bellowed, sending the Doctor scurrying to the front door, calling out apologies over his shoulder as he rushed outside to get a broom. He should have known better than to anger his pregnant wife.

Amy waited by the front door, and she glared at him as she watched him collect a broom from their shed. The Doctor turned around to head back to the house, and he winced at the furious expression on Amy's face.

As he walked towards her, something struck him. He paused in the middle of the lawn and gazed at the countryside that was all around his cottage. "Amy, there's something that I don't quite understand." He said quietly.

Amy rolled her eyes. "Tell me what it is and then get back in here to clean up your mess!"

The Doctor resisted the urge to salute her. "I don't understand why we chose Leadworth to settle down in when we have the whole universe to choose from."

Amy frowned in confusion. "It's upper Leadworth actually. And what's wrong with it?"

The Doctor stared at her incredulously. "What's right with it? This place is so _dull_!"

Amy blinked in surprise, before anger returned to her expression. "Well, if that's the way you feel about our life, then bugger off!" She snapped, taking a step back to slam their front door shut, leaving the Doctor outside.

The Doctor groaned. "Amy! Let me back in!" He cried, racing up to the door. "This is stupid!"

"You're stupid for insulting the village we chose to raise our child!" She yelled back from the other side of the door.

"I'm sorry! Lea—Upper Leadworth is a great place to live really!" He shouted, banging on the door.

Amy didn't reply, so the Doctor's knocks became more persistent. "Amy? Are you still there? Amy?"

After a few minutes, the Doctor knew his knocking was futile. He knew exactly what she was like when he offended her. Amy certainly knew how to hold grudges.

"We just had to choose a cottage with a wooden front door." The Doctor muttered to himself, knowing that his sonic screwdriver didn't work on wood.

The only way he could get back into the cottage was if he scaled the stonewall using the trellis to reach their open bedroom window.

"Come on, you can do this." He whispered to himself. "You are monkey boy after all!"

Taking a deep breath, he gripped the trellis tightly with his hands and placed one foot on it. "Three…two…one!" He took the other foot off the ground, grinning with delight when the trellis remained securely on the wall. He heaved himself up, and began to climb towards the bedroom window.

Amy meanwhile was beginning to feel guilty for leaving the Doctor outside. She knew she needed him with her just in case her contractions started, so she unlocked the front door and stepped outside.

The sight she saw nearly sent her into labour. "What are you doing up there?" She shrieked, making the Doctor jump.

Amy let out a little scream when the Doctor began to wobble precariously on the trellis, but he managed to regain his balance. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting back into the house!" He yelled down to her.

"Get down here right now!" She commanded, her voice high-pitched with upset.

The Doctor recognised her distress, and he began to climb quickly down to the ground. Once he was a couple of feet above the floor, he let go of the trellis and fell backwards, sprawling out onto the grass.

"You are such an idiot!" Amy told him, unable to keep the affection out of her voice as she sank down onto her knees beside him. "Don't scare me like that again!"

The Doctor gave her a lazy smile as he sat up. "It wasn't intentional. I just really wanted to get inside. Can't you understand that?"

"Of course I understand it, you big dope!" Amy cried, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "But I was so frightened of you falling down."

"You can't get rid of me." The Doctor replied playfully, stroking the back of her head. "You have me for life."

Amy pulled back to cup his face with her hands. "That's why we got married." She smiled, leaning forward to kiss him.

"Never mind all of this romance!" Someone laughed, and the Doctor and Amy didn't even have to break their kiss to know that it was the Dream Lord. "You have a World to choose. I just hope you don't figure out which one is real before it gets interesting!"

Knowing exactly what was coming next, the Doctor lay back on the grass and Amy curled up against him, resting her head on his chest. The familiar chirping sound filled the air, and their eyes snapped shut.

~I~

"Okay, so the Dream Lord can play with our minds, but can he turn the bloody heating on?" Amy muttered, her breath fanning out into the air. Shivering, she clutched her poncho tighter around her and climbed awkwardly to her feet.

The Doctor had awoken first again, and he was walking up and down. "We need to decide which World is real, _now_!" He told her firmly, tapping the TARDIS console to emphasise his point. "We're going to die here if we don't, and I really don't want to know what the danger is in the other World."

"Doctor, I don't know which one is real!" Amy cried. "I feel it in both places."

"I feel it here. Not in the countryside. Definitely not there."

"Why not?" Amy demanded. "It feels real to me!"

The Doctor stopped his pacing and whirled around to face her. "Amy, tell me about your dreams." He said suddenly.

Amy's face paled, and the icy temperature wasn't to blame for her white face. "Why?" She whispered.

"Because I think that your dreams and thoughts may have something to do with this situation." He told her quietly, gazing at her intensely to watch her reaction.

"Why mine?

"Well, I definitely have never thought about having—"

"This is no fun! No fun at all!" The Dream Lord barked all of a sudden, appearing next to the Doctor. "I don't like boring chit-chat, I prefer a bit of action. So I'm sending you back to the countryside. Isn't that great? Ooh, maybe we can milk a cow together!"

~I~

"What was the point of that?" Amy grumbled from her position on the grass, opening her eyes.

"I think that's the point!" The Doctor remarked, pointing at something in the distance. Squinting, Amy sat up and gazed at the direction he was pointing at.

Her eyes widened at the sight of all of the locals in Leadworth, including Rory, Jeff and her old neighbours, walking towards their cottage, the same, dazed expression on their faces.

"I didn't know we were having a party today." Amy commented, and the Doctor helped her up.

"We're not having a party." He replied grimly. "I believe that all of our friends have been taken over by aliens, but I'm not going anywhere near them to find out if I'm right or not!"

Amy nodded. "Good point. So should we get into the TARDIS?"

"Already tried that. The Dream Lord has put it on deadlock. We're stuck here."

"Of course." Amy muttered dryly. "No wonder he wanted us to be back here. This must be so entertaining for him!"

"The ultimate viewing pleasure." The Doctor sighed, taking her hand and tugging her into the house. "We need to barricade all of the doors and windows, now!"

Amy couldn't do much in her condition, but she managed to find lots of wood and metal for the Doctor to nail to the windows, and she helped him push a few pieces of furniture against the doors, despite his protests that she shouldn't be moving heavy objects.

After ensuring that the downstairs was secure, they moved onto the upstairs, barricading all of the windows. The Doctor told Amy that they had to stay in the room with the least amount of windows, which to his displeasure, was their baby's room.

And when they walked into the room, Amy knew exactly why he was so reluctant to bring her into the room.

The Doctor had forbidden her from entering that room ever since they'd found out that she was pregnant, and Amy had obeyed his wishes. And she was glad that she had, because when she saw what he had done with the room, she felt herself tearing up. It was definitely worth the wait of seeing it.

"Oh Doctor, this is so beautiful!" She sobbed, gazing around at their space-themed baby room. The room had TARDIS wallpaper, something the TARDIS had given the Doctor herself, and the floor was fitted with a plush blue carpet. Even the baby's cot was the same colour as the TARDIS, and the mobile playing above the bed was fabricated of planets and stars.

"I thought the space theme would be best, because…well…look at us!" The Doctor chuckled, enjoying Amy's reaction to the room. "It was going to be a surprise, but due to our recent situation, you had to see it before it was finished."

"I love it!" Amy whispered, admiring the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling.

"I also thought it would be better decorated this way, because we don't know our baby's gender." The Doctor added softly.

"I love you." Amy murmured, smiling through her tears as she turned around to face her husband. "I don't think I've ever said it enough, but I do."

The Doctor grinned crookedly at her. "I love you too."

Forgetting the danger outside momentarily, Amy grabbed the lapels of his tweed jacket and kissed him.

She pulled away first, and grinned at him. "So, how would you rate that kiss out of ten?" She asked him teasingly, continuing the joke that had lasted throughout their relationship.

The Doctor thought for a moment. "Hmm…a nine."

"Not a ten because I'm pregnant?" Amy hissed, releasing his jacket to place her hands on her hips.

"No, a nine because we're surrounded by aliens who want to kill us. Not exactly the best situation."

Amy's anger faded, and she threw back her head and laughed.

The Doctor had never seen her so happy at nine-months pregnant, so he cupped her face with his hands to kiss her, slipping his tongue into her open mouth.

Amy's hands flew to his hair, and she kissed him back hungrily, forgetting about the situation they were in.

Suddenly, they heard the window open, and they both sprang apart, the Doctor pushing Amy behind him protectively.

But it was only the Dream Lord, and he climbed into the room. "Just look at this window. Completely see-through! Just like you then Doctor. But then, I've always been able to see through you, and your lovely companion."

Amy stepped out from behind the Doctor. "Have you met the Doctor before? Have you met me before?" When the Dream Lord didn't reply, she turned to the Doctor. "Has he Doctor?"

"Now don't get jealous, he's been around our boy. And you should know that Amy." The Dream Lord told her devilishly.

"How dare you!" Amy fumed, stepping forward to slap him, but the Doctor held her back.

"Amy Pond, the Kissogram from Leadworth." The Dream Lord taunted her. "But we all know that it's the nice way of saying that you really are a—"

"You can shut up right now!" Amy hissed.

The Dream Lord looked offended. "If that's the way you feel, then I'll go. Oh, but it looks like you're going too. Tweet tweet!"

~I~

When Amy and the Doctor awoke in the TARDIS, the Dream Lord was standing over them, grinning nastily at Amy. "Hey Amy, let's go and jump off the TARDIS and wake up in that nice village hmm? Maybe we can plan a christening for your child?"

"Leave her alone!" The Doctor hissed, rising to his feet to tower over him.

"I love it when you do that. The tall, dark hero." The Dream Lord replied, his voice sinister. "No wonder Amy chose you over that bumbling idiot from Leadworth. And he calls himself a nurse! Don't make me laugh. But then…you call yourself a Doctor. And look how many people you've killed."

Now it was Amy's turn to get defensive, and she stood up to confront the Dream Lord as well. "Leave him alone!"

The Dream Lord turned his attention back to her, and he smiled at her. "Sorry Amy, I got carried away. So, we can either stay here and freeze to death or go back to the perfect family life with the Doctor?"

Amy remained silent.

"Oh Amy. Too shy to admit what you really want?" The Dream Lord teased, circling her. "Don't worry, I know where your heart really lies, don't I?"

And with a snap of his fingers, the Dream Lord disappeared.

"Doctor, the other World is real." Amy said determinedly, shivering in her poncho. "I know it."

"It only feels real to you because you want it more than this life!" The Doctor told her sadly, drawing his poncho tighter around himself.

"I never said that!" Amy snapped, frowning at him. "I love travelling with you."

"But you want a family. You want marriage. Those are things that I can't give to you."

"Doctor, listen to me." Amy instructed, shuffling towards him. "You're only saying that because you think that the other World is a dream. Being married, having a child together, that's real! It's happened to us."

"Amy, I don't think you understand!" The Doctor said tiredly. "That man is the Dream Lord, and he's giving us two Worlds. My dream is to travel the universe with you for the rest of eternity, and from what I've seen, your dream is to settle down with me. And your dream is more impossible than mine!"

"How can mine be more impossible?" Amy replied angrily, her frown becoming a glare. "Doctor, we've had sex for goodness sake!"

The Doctor would have thrown his arms out to the side if the poncho didn't restrict him. "What does that have to do with anything?" He cried, frustrated.

"Everyone knows the story Doctor. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby's carriage!"

"You are talking absolute nonsense!" The Doctor hissed, shaking his head in disbelief. "The Amy I know wouldn't want a family. Hell, you ran away with me in the first place to escape your wedding day!"

"Because the only reason I was going to marry Rory was to replace the hole that you left in my life!" Amy cried. "When you came back for me, I saw no reason to stay in Leadworth."

"Oh dear you two. Lover's tiff." The Dream Lord commented, reappearing in the console room. "There was an old doctor from Galifrey who ended up throwing his life away. He let down his lover, and then—oh no. Time's up."

Amy and the Doctor exchanged anxious glances, the past few minutes forgotten as they realised that it was approaching crunch time. They had to make a decision.

"Have fun in the village!" The Dream Lord said cheerfully as they closed their eyes. "Don't spend too long there, or you'll catch your death here."

~I~

"Okay, we have about thirty minutes before we freeze to death and about thirty minutes before we get killed by our friends." The Doctor was muttering to himself as Amy awoke, wincing from sudden pain in her abdomen. "What are the chances of figuring out which World is real? Slim to none."

"Doctor?" Amy whimpered, clutching her stomach and glancing down at the floor.

"Just a second Amy. Now, if we just—

"Doctor, my water just broke!" Amy cried, staring down in horror at the sight of her waters spreading out into the carpet.

"No, no, no! Not now!" The Doctor panicked, dropping down onto his knees beside her. "We don't have anything here!"

"Why does Rory have to become an alien when we need him!" Amy groaned, gritting her teeth to stop herself from screaming.

The Doctor would have replied angrily to that, but he decided that his annoyance aver Amy's constant remarks about her ex-fiancée weren't appropriate right now.

He used his frustration instead to create a makeshift bed for Amy using their baby's blankets and pillows. Once he'd finished, he heaved a panting Amy onto the materials and propped her up against the wall with cushions.

"I'm so scared!" Amy sobbed, clutching the Doctor's hands. "This can't be happening now!"

The Doctor kissed her sweaty forehead and pushed her hair out of her face. "Amy, everything is going to be okay." He assured her, though he was panicking even more than she was. "Nothing is going to happen."

"I'm giving birth when there are about one hundred aliens trying to kill us!" Amy shrieked, her grip on the Doctor's hands tightening as she had another contraction. "I can't do this!"

"You can!" The Doctor told her firmly. "You're going to give birth to a healthy baby, and I'll get rid of the aliens—"

"No!" Amy cried. "I need you. Don't leave me!"

The Doctor couldn't agree to that, so to avoid answering her, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her damp hair.

Amy's contractions continued, and her screams and cries of pain were agony to the Doctor.

"I need drugs!" Amy screamed, her face wet with tears and sweat. "I can't take the pain Doctor. I can't!"

The Doctor made a decision, though he was yet to know that his decision would change his life, and hers too. "I'll go and get you the tablets from downstairs, the ones you were supposed to take earlier." He told her, rising to his feet.

Amy's face crumpled. "But…but…"

"But nothing. I'll be fine!" He replied reassuringly, backing away to the door and showing her his sonic screwdriver. "See? I have this! My good friend the—aaaaah!"

Amy screamed along with him when one of the alien's heads broke through the bedroom door, spraying the Doctor with something from its mouth.

He collapsed, groaning, and Amy crawled over to him, her contractions forgotten. "Doctor?" She sobbed, grabbing his face with her hands.

His face was beginning to sweat, and Amy cried harder when she saw how delirious he was becoming. "What did that thing do to you?" She cried, staring at the door, but the alien had vanished.

The Doctor gave her a faint smile. "It killed me." He replied softly, slumping in her arms.

"Regenerate!" Amy commanded tearfully, giving his body a shake.

The Doctor gazed up at her vulnerably. "I can't." He whispered. "It's too late."

Amy began to shake her head adamantly. "No…no! I can't…Doctor…"

"This may be the dream." The Doctor reminded her weakly. "Maybe…you and…I…"

Suddenly his body went slack, and his head rolled back, causing Amy to scream again. She could only watch in stunned horror at the sight of his body disintegrating, until he was just a pile of ash in her hands.

* * *

**Duh-duh-DUH.**

**Teehee. That was fun to write. **

**I'll get Matt Smith to hug everyone that reviews this chapter! ;)**

**Just kidding. Matt belongs to Daisy Lowe. Sigh. **

**Hayley x**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: I am SO sorry for not updating. But on the plus side - my life finally sorted itself out. I got into the University that I wanted to go to and I got a car. YAY! :D**

**And after being snowed in for five days, I managed to finish this chapter. It was hard to write...you'll see why when you read it...**

**OH. You may want to read over the last chapter to see what happened, in case you forgot. I did, and I'm the author :S**

Amy stared down at the grey ashes in her hands, still shaking her head. She refused to believe that the Doctor was dead.

He was wonderful, invincible. Alien spray could never kill him.

"Doctor?" Amy whispered, her voice hoarse from her tears. She raised her hands to her face, and watched as her tears fell into the ash.

"This is the time when you magic yourself back to life." She sobbed to the ashes. "Any minute now…you'll come back…"

But the ash remained lifeless in her hands.

Crying with grief, she flung the ash against the wall, sending up a small cloud of grey smoke.

"How could you leave us?" She screamed at the cloud, clutching her stomach. "We needed you, and you left—"

But she stopped when she realised that she was supposed to be in labour.

"No!" She cried, tears streaming relentlessly down her cheeks. "I've already lost the Doctor, I can't lose our baby too!"

She turned her head to the Doctor's ashes, which had scattered all over the floor. "I need to bring you back!" She howled, gathering them into a pile. "You need to fix this!"

She reached out and grabbed a small tin box, full of nappies. She quickly tossed them out and dropped the ashes into the tin.

"Come back!" She commanded hysterically, giving the tin a shake. "I need you!"

Nothing happened.

Amy knew that it was over. The Doctor was dead. Her baby was dying.

And she was alone.

~I~

The Doctor could just about make out the sight of Amy's tearstained face as he collapsed in her arms, before he was plunged into darkness.

He felt himself falling into the abyss of death, but suddenly, something pulled him up, bathing him in white light.

With a start, the Doctor jolted upright, and he was relieved to see that he was inside his TARDIS.

But it had changed. Every surface was covered in snow and ice, and the Doctor himself was covered in ice shards.

"Amy…" He whispered, the freezing temperature his second priority compared to her. "Amy?"

He managed to crawl over to her sleeping body, and he brushed some of the icicles away from her face. "Oh Amy…"

The Doctor felt himself tearing up, but his tears froze the moment they fell from his eyes. He took her hand, and raised it to his lips.

"Amy, come back to me." He begged softly, closing his anguished eyes.

"As if it's that simple." The Dream Lord snorted, appearing beside him. "She has to kill herself and her baby before that happens."

The Doctor knew that he was right, so he didn't reply. Instead, he pressed his icy lips to the back of her hand. "I love you." He whispered to her. "I know that you're strong enough to return to me. So please…please…"

"She can't hear you." The Dream Lord chuckled maliciously.

The Doctor gritted his teeth, and turned his head to glare at him.

The Dream Lord was unfazed by his anger. "You just keep letting her down, don't you? First you leave her for twelve years, and then you reappear, and then you take off for another two years. No wonder she needed all of those psychiatrists! You really did ruin her life, didn't you?"

The Doctor couldn't even argue with him. He knew that he was right.

"But she's forgiven you for every mistake that you've ever made." The Dream Lord continued. "A bit gullible, our dear Amy Pond. She has no idea what you're going to do to her."

"How do you know what I'm going to do?" The Doctor hissed, hatred gleaming in his eyes.

The Dream Lord smiled softly. "Oh Doctor. You're going to ruin her again."

And then the Doctor understood, and he chuckled darkly. "Now I know who you are. You're me."

"I'm her as well." The Dream Lord told him. "And that's why I know you'll destroy her if you leave her. Amy may put on a stubborn, brave façade, but underneath, she's a frail girl, still broken from when you deserted her all of those years ago."

"I won't destroy her!" The Doctor muttered, stroking Amy's hair. "She has Rory back in Leadworth."

"She chose you over that idiotic nurse, remember?" The Dream Lord reminded him harshly. "He would give her the World if he had it. But you can give her the entire Universe…oh wait, you can't. Because you're going to leave her."

"I'm leaving her to save her!" The Doctor replied desperately. "She's not safe with me! And I can't give her what she wants."

"She wants a family with you, not with Rory. You're going to kill her when you tell her to leave. She's already tried killing herself once."

The Doctor was stunned by his revelation. "What? My Amy did that?" He whispered brokenly.

"You're lucky that Rory was there to stop her in time. You don't understand how much you made her life hell. Everyone thought she was mental. She had no friends, and no one could bear to go near her. All she had was Rory."

"And she still has Rory." The Doctor determined, rising to his feet. "He can look after her, better than I can. She deserves to be with him."

"You're so stupid. Do you really think that she'll be happy without you?" The Dream Lord asked him harshly. "She can't live without you, and you can't live without her."

"I've sacrificed my happiness before, and I'll sacrifice it again." The Doctor said firmly, though his hearts were both splitting in two.

"Well, don't come running to me when the next time you see her is when you're standing by her grave!" The Dream Lord snapped, before disappearing from the TARDIS.

The Doctor curled up on the floor next to Amy and drew her body against his chest, no longer caring that he was minutes away from freezing to death.

He was already dead inside, knowing that he had to make the hardest decision of his lifetime.

~I~

Amy cried so much for her loss that eventually she ran out of tears to shed.

Exhausted, she crawled over to the wall and sat against it, clutching the box full of the Doctor's ashes to her chest. She stared at the door, waiting for an alien to burst in and kill her too.

She had nothing left to live for. She just couldn't live in a World where the Doctor didn't exist.

But there was no movement from outside of the bedroom, which angered Amy.

"What's the matter?" She sneered at the door, staggering to her feet. "You don't kill pregnant women, is that it?"

Once she'd reached the door, she used the hole that the alien had made to peer out into the corridor.

All of the aliens were lying on the floor, dead. They couldn't kill her, so she had to choose another way to die.

Amy used the last of her strength to walk over to the bedroom window and smash it open, allowing her to climb onto the window sill.

She peered over the edge, and swallowed nervously at the sight of the drop below.

There was no going back. She couldn't live in this World, not without the Doctor.

This had to be the dream.

Stretching her arms out, she took a deep breath and whispered, "I'm coming Doctor."

And then she fell.

~I~

Death was easier than Amy had thought it would be. She plummeted through darkness, before a white light surrounded her.

Her eyes snapped open, and she nearly drowned in relief when she saw the Doctor's ice-covered face.

"Am I back in reality?" She whispered, touching the Doctor's face lightly. "Or am I in Heaven?"

The Doctor laughed weakly with relief, and he clasped her frozen body to his. "Oh Amy. Magnificent Amy Pond. You're alive."

Amy returned his hug just as tightly, and began to cry with joy. "Thank God that's over." She sobbed, leaning back to press her forehead to his. "I can't even begin to tell you how I felt when you died in the dream. I never want to be without you again."

The Doctor couldn't reply to that, knowing that he was going to leave her again, only this time, it wouldn't be accidental. He simply embraced her again, to hide his agonized face from her.

"Congratulations!" The Dream Lord announced, materializing next to them. "You figured out which World was the Dream. So I'm off now. Remember, watch out for the star!"

With a clap of his hands, he vanished, and Amy sighed in relief when the TARDIS came back to life.

But the Doctor didn't share her relief. "We're still dreaming." He realised, leaping to his feet. "This is a dream too!"

"No way!" Amy argued, pulling herself to her feet. "Doctor, the TARDIS is alive again! And the Dream Lord said—"

The Doctor waved her protests away impatiently. "Amy! We're drifting towards a Cold Star! Cold Stars don't even exist!" He grabbed hold of one of the TARDIS levers and yanked it down; sending sparks ricocheting off of the walls.

Amy shrieked and grabbed his arm. "Doctor! You're mad! This is reality!"

The Doctor shook his head, and laughed. "No Amy, this is another dream! And I can prove it!" He slammed his hand down on a red button, and the TARDIS began to jolt from side to side.

"What are you doing?" Amy yelled, struggling to stay upright.

"I'm exploding the TARDIS!" He yelled back, pressing more buttons on the console.

"You can't do this!" Amy cried, trying to push him away from the console.

"I can!" The Doctor shouted, grabbing her wrists and looking into her eyes. "Amy, I'm sorry."

And then he kissed her in desperation, knowing that it would be the last time they'd ever kiss.

Without breaking the kiss, the Doctor reached out with one hand and pressed the 'Self-Destruct' button on the TARDIS console.

~I~

Amy woke up in the TARDIS again, but instead of seeing icicles hanging above her, she was staring at the console room ceiling.

The Doctor had been right. Now they were in reality.

Amy smiled and shook her head at her own stupidity as she rose to her feet. "Well thank God that's over!" She remarked cheerfully. "We were cutting it a bit close there, wouldn't you say?"

When the Doctor didn't reply, she turned around to see where he was.

The Doctor was standing with his back to her, leaning on the TARDIS console. His stiff posture unnerved Amy, and she took a hesitant step towards him. "Doctor?"

"Amy. You need to go home."

Amy's smile faded. "What?" She whispered.

The Doctor turned around slowly to face her. "I'm taking you home." He told her coldly.

Amy froze at his harsh words, too stunned to say anything.

They stared at each other for a few moments, Amy helplessly, the Doctor heartlessly.

"You don't mean that." Amy breathed, and she reached out for him with trembling hands. "You _can't_ mean that!"

The Doctor dropped his gaze to her outstretched hands, and he stared at them blankly before returning his eyes to hers. "I do mean it. You don't belong here Amy." He said, his eyes hardening with malice.

Amy's hands flew to her head. "I'm dreaming." She muttered to herself, closing her eyes. "This is the dream. I need to wake up again."

"You're not dreaming Amelia."

"I must be!" She cried, opening her eyes to glare wildly at him. "You would never take me home!"

At the Doctor's silence, her hands fell to her sides. "Would you?" She whispered vulnerably, and the Doctor nodded.

"Why…why are you doing this to me?" She stammered, tears blurring her vision. "I waited my whole life for you. Don't take this away from me now, when I've just gotten you back. Please!"

The Doctor shook his head. "You don't need me. You have Rory in Leadworth, and he can give you everything. I can't give you what you want. I can't marry you, and I can't give you children."

Amy grabbed the lapels of his tweed jacket. "I'm not asking for you to give me those things! I just want you Doctor!" She declared, staring him straight in the eye.

The Doctor sighed and grabbed her wrists to prise her hands away from his jacket. "No, you don't."

"How do you know what I want?" She spat, trying to wrench her hands out of his grip.

But the Doctor acted like he hadn't heard her. "I've been in love before Amelia, and I've had children. And now they're all dead. Do you really think that I'm going to put myself through that again?"

For a brief moment, Amy saw a glint of pain in his eyes. But it was gone as soon as she noticed it.

"So go home to Rory." The Doctor commanded, his voice firm. "Marry him, and have his children. I'm not good for you."

"You are! You're my raggedy Doctor, and I'm mad, impossible Amy Pond. We're perfect together!" She told him desperately, tears beginning to slide down her cheeks.

No, we're not." The Doctor said determinedly. "You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I live forever. But you're human. You die, and rot away."

"Don't do what you did to Rose to me!" Amy pleaded hysterically, no longer able to see his face through the film of tears covering her eyes. "I don't have another Doctor. I only love you. Don't make me leave!"

The Doctor was silent for a moment, and Amy held her breath, waiting for him to change his mind.

But he sighed and released her, turning to the TARDIS console. "Amy, I've made my decision. You're going home. Now." He finished his speech by pulling down the lever that would take her home to Leadworth.

Amy rubbed her eyes and stared blankly at the destination code for Leadworth. "But…you can't just…"

"I can. I don't love you Amy. I never have, and I never will. I made myself think that I had fallen in love with you, but you're still a little girl." The Doctor told her cruelly.

Something inside Amy snapped, and she threw herself at him, punching his chest with her fists. "Don't do this to me!" She cried frantically. "I can't…I can't just…"

The Doctor broke too, and against his better judgement, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her against her chest. "Calm down Amy. You're going to be fine. You're Amy Pond after all, a real fighter." He whispered, trying his hardest to keep his voice detached.

Amy stopped her attack on him, and latched onto him. "So, you're really making me leave then?" She sobbed.

The Doctor didn't reply, only tightened his arms around her. He had to savour their last few moments together.

Amy slid her hands into the Doctor's pockets, but he was too busy memorising how right she felt in his arms to notice what she was doing.

"Fine. I'll leave." She muttered tearfully, withdrawing from his embrace to walk down the console stairs.

The Doctor watched her go, and now he could no longer keep his grief concealed from her.

Amy paused in the TARDIS doorway. "Goodbye." She whispered brokenly.

Without turning to face him, she stepped out and slammed the door shut behind her.

If she had just turned around, and begged him to stay once more, the Doctor knew that he would have relented, and taken back everything that he'd said to her.

But she hadn't, and he was alone once more.

~I~

Amy stared at the TARDIS doors, wondering why he hadn't left yet. She quickly brushed away the possibility of him changing his mind and running out to get her, and she rested her hand lightly on the blue wood.

"Send him back to me." She murmured to the TARDIS.

Then she heard the familiar sounds of the TARDIS engines, and she took a step back, tears falling down her cheeks as she watched the man she loved disappear from her life once more.

But she took some comfort in the thought that he had to return to her.

Allowing herself a small smile, she reached into her skirt pocket and withdrew the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.

The Doctor wouldn't last without it, leaving him no choice but to return to her.

**DUH DUH DUHHHHHHHH.**

**:|**

**Angst-ridden chapters to come. Teehee.**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Another update for you! I wasn't online for a while - christmas holidays are very hectic for me, but I found time to write and update :D**

**And now...OH MY GOD THE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL. WHO WATCHED IT? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT IN A REVIEW!**

**Aside from the Rory/Amy moments, I got my Doctor/Amy ending, so I was happy. The awkward hug at the end made me laugh. And looks like Rory is getting annoyed with the Doctor already...hmmm. Interesting.**

**AND THE TRAILER FOR SERIES 6. Amy holds the Doctor's life in her hands. Next year is going to be EPIC.**

**Sorry. Fangirl moment over. On with the chapter!**

**Not the happiest of chapters, so think of it as a...filler chapter? :)**

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The Doctor stared at the TARDIS doors after Amy had left, tears trickling down his cheeks. He was hoping that she'd burst back in and refuse to leave, but he had been too cruel to her. She would never forgive him for the things that he'd said to her.

Without taking his eyes from the doors, he reached back and pulled the green lever down, taking the TARDIS away from Leadworth.

He remained in the same position until he realised that his ship was floating towards a star, and he quickly turned around to the console and diverted the TARDIS to another place in the universe.

He left his ship floating in a vacuum of nothingness, and he sank down onto the floor, turning his attention back to the doors, though he knew that there was no possibility of Amy walking through them.

He could feel his ship's sorrow rolling off of him in waves, and he bowed his head. "I know." He whispered, his tears leaving his cheeks and dripping to the floor. "I love her too."

~I~

Amy watched the TARDIS disappear from sight, before walking into her house and up to her bedroom, ignoring the large crowds of people that were inside of her house.

She heard them screaming her name, but she blocked them out and slammed her bedroom door shut, locking all of them out.

"Amy! Amy! Where have you been?" She heard her Aunt cry from the other side of the door. "Why did you vanish on your wedding day like that?"

"Amy!" She heard Rory yell, and he banged on the door. "Amy, speak to me!"

Amy ignored them and turned to her box of memorabilia, stuffed full of dolls and pictures of the Doctor that she'd made when she was a little girl. She picked up one of the dolls and studied it intently.

"Maybe if I use the screw driver on you, you'll magic into the Doctor." She muttered, smiling through her tears.

"Amy! You've been missing for two days! Let us in! The police are here!"

But Amy couldn't even hear them. She pulled out a drawing from her box and laughed at the childish picture that was supposed to be the TARDIS swimming pool. "I'm even better than Vincent." She chuckled, tracing the drawing with her fingertip.

Dropping the drawing back into the box, she stood up and walked over to the window. She briefly glanced at the police outside, who were waving to get her attention, before turning her gaze to her back garden. Her hand tightened around the sonic screwdriver, and she whispered, "Any minute now."

~I~

The Doctor was going mad. He had searched every room of the TARDIS, but he couldn't find his screwdriver. Now he was back in the console room, and he was pulling up the floor, thinking it may be trapped between the tiles.

The likelihood of that being possible was not very high, but knowing how angry the TARDIS was with him for leaving Amy, he wouldn't put anything past her. She was probably getting a kick out of watching him hunt for his lost item.

"A little help would be nice." He grumbled to the TARDIS, but she didn't reply.

"I know that you're mad at me for making Amy leave, and I'm sorry, but it was necessary."

The TARDIS hummed her disagreement, still not willing to voice her opinions to him.

"You miss her. I miss her. " The Doctor admitted softly. "But we need to move on. Amy wasn't safe here."

This time, the TARDIS began to shake, infuriated by the Doctor's naivety.

The Doctor sighed and rested his hand on the console to soothe her. "It's always been you and I. It _should_ be just the two of us. No one else. Just the lonely traveller and his TARDIS."

~I~

It took the Police two hours to convince Amy to leave her bedroom, and she only walked out when she realised that the Doctor wasn't coming back for her. At least, not tonight.

They led her down to the living room, and Rory and her Aunt threw their arms around her, hugging her tightly. Amy just stood there while they embraced her, confused by their reaction.

"Where have you been?" Her Aunt asked her, standing back to glare at her. "You were missing the whole of your wedding day! We've been worried sick about you!"

Amy didn't reply, and stared down at the doll of the Doctor in her hand. Her Aunt didn't understand, but Rory did.

"You were with him, weren't you?" He whispered brokenly. "The Doctor."

Amy's aunt groaned and rolled her eyes. "Not this again."

Rory and Amy both ignored her, and their eyes locked. Amy nodded slightly, and Rory's World fell apart.

~I~

Overall, the Doctor had spent about fifty hours searching for his screwdriver. He didn't really mind spending that much time searching for it, it kept his mind off of Amy.

But the fact that his TARDIS refused to give him another one was frustrating.

"Why are you so adamant that I find that one?" He muttered, glaring at the console. "It wouldn't even take you a minute to create a new one for me."

The TARDIS was silent, and he sighed. "Fine. You know what? I don't even need a sonic screwdriver."

He clambered to his feet and smirked triumphantly. "All I need is my bowtie, and I'm good to go." He announced.

Suddenly his mind was filled with an image of Amy reaching into his pocket and withdrawing his screwdriver, and the Doctor gasped in realisation as the image faded away.

"She stole my…how could she…oh, that girl is brilliant!"

And then he glared at the console again. "So now you tell me that she has my screwdriver!" He hissed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're a sneaky girl, I'll give you that. I bet you think that I'm going to fly back to Leadworth and retrieve it, forcing me to talk to Amy."

The Doctor sensed his ship's hope, and he grinned spitefully. "Well, you thought wrong. Like I said, I don't need a sonic screwdriver."

Humming over the cries of his TARDIS, he began to type in a random destination code, ignoring the ache in his own hearts as well.

~I~

It had been eleven days since the Doctor had taken Amy back to Leadworth, and thirteen days since her failed wedding day to Rory.

Not that Rory was counting.

He'd decided to see her before going to work, and after talking briefly to her aunt, he headed up the stairs to visit his ex-fiancée.

He knocked softly on her bedroom door before entering, and he gazed at her sympathetically when he saw her curled up in bed.

Amy hated the way people looked at her now. There was no reason for them to feel sorry for her. The Doctor would be back for her soon.

"Good morning." Rory said quietly, perching on the end of her bed.

Amy sat up and pointed to her chest of drawers. "Could you pass me the calendar please?" She asked him.

Rory sighed. "Not this again Amy. It's not healthy."

Amy's eyes glinted angrily. "It's been eleven days Rory. I think today will be the day he comes back to me."

Rory didn't reply, but he passed her the calendar. He watched her cross off another day, and shook his head sadly.

She'd broken his heart when she'd told him that she loved the Doctor, but he could take that. He knew who the Doctor was, and what he could do, and knew that he could never compete with him.

But he couldn't bear to see Amy waiting for him like this. Rory knew that he wouldn't be back, and he hated seeing her pining away for him.

That wasn't the Amy he loved.

And he wanted to kill the Doctor for damaging her. Again.

~I~

The Doctor hadn't left his TARDIS yet, despite having landed on one of his favourite planets. He just wasn't up to exploring by himself. It was something he liked to do with someone else.

But he had gotten rid of his 'partner-in-crime,' so to speak.

Instead, he was sitting on the floor of the swimming pool, counting how long he could hold his breath for. So far, he was up to three hours and seventeen minutes.

He knew that he'd have to get out soon, as his skin was beginning to pucker, but he was determined to stay sitting underwater for as long as possible. Counting in his head occupied his thoughts, meaning that he didn't have to think about Amy.

He remained sitting for a few more minutes, before giving up and swimming to the surface. Shivering, he climbed out of the pool and towelled himself dry.

He laid his wet towel over one of the pool chairs, and he spotted a book lying underneath it. Curious, he picked it up, and instantly remembered why it was there.

It was the book that Amy had been reading a couple of days ago when Captain Jack was travelling with them. She'd dropped the book when the Doctor had clambered on top of her and assaulted her lips with his.

That memory brought the Doctor a lot of pain, and he collapsed beside the pool chair, clutching the book to his damp chest.

He wasn't going to last much longer.

~I~

Rory's hospital shift finished late into the night, and when he finally returned to his house, it was midnight.

As he got ready for bed, he saw a heartbreaking sight from his bedroom window.

Amy was standing in her back garden, staring up at the stars. From the glint of the moonlight, Rory could see that her face was wet with tears.

Forgetting about his exhaustion, he left his house and climbed over the fence that separated their gardens.

Amy glanced towards his direction; her face lighting up with hope, but when she saw that it was Rory, she began to cry.

"I really thought that he'd be back today." She sobbed, and Rory took her hand in his.

He led her gently into the house and into her bedroom, and he sat down beside her bed as she curled up under the duvet.

They stayed that way for the whole night, and Rory never released her hand or moved from his position.

If the Doctor wasn't going to return and look after her, Rory knew that he'd have to be the one to piece Amy back together.

He just prayed that the Doctor hadn't damaged her permanently.

**Reviewers get a preview of the next chapter. That's my (late) christmas present to you all :)**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: 350 reviews! YOU GUYS ROCK MY FRICKIN' SOCKS. *Blows kisses to you all***

**(To DancingSpy, I could not reply to your review and send you a preview because you have PM's disabled :( But thank you for your review :D And 'M', my anonymous reviewer, thank you very much as well :D )**

**ENJOY THE CHAPTER :D**

The Doctor still hadn't left the TARDIS, and he'd lost count on how long it had been since he'd last seen Amy.

He did know however that he had been lying on his bed for about ten hours, staring at a photo of him and Amy.

It was a photo that the space monkeys had taken when he, Amy and Jack had visited them. Amy and the Doctor had their arms tightly clasped around each other, and they were both grinning at the camera. Jack was behind them, and he was pulling a funny face at them.

The photo used to make the Doctor laugh, but now, staring at their happy, carefree faces, he just wanted to cry.

"I miss you." He murmured to the picture, tracing Amy's face with his finger. "I don't think I can do this for much longer."

Sighing, he put the photo down, and rolled over on his bed, pulling a pillow over his head.

Big mistake.

He was now completely smothered in Amy's scent, which lingered on her pillow on her side of the bed.

Bolting upright, the Doctor tossed the pillow aside, finally giving in. "Don't worry Amy, I'm coming." He whispered, leaping off of the bed and heading determinedly to the door.

_I'm coming back for you._

~I~

It had been three months since the Doctor had left Amy, and now, she was beginning to lose hope. She'd convinced herself that he'd be back for her, but as the weeks passed, she began to believe that he would never return.

Sighing, she picked up a red pen and crossed the day off on her calendar, before heading out of her bedroom.

As she walked downstairs, she could smell fresh bacon, but the smell made her nauseous. She couldn't stomach food anymore, and when she could, she'd just pour herself some tea and have some toast.

"I've done you some eggs and bacon for breakfast!" Her Aunt Sharon told her as she walked into the kitchen. "I can't have you going to work on an empty stomach!"

"I'm not hungry." Amy mumbled, pulling on her coat, preparing to go to work.

"For goodness sake Amelia, you're wasting away!" Her Aunt snapped, surprising her niece. "You haven't eaten properly for months. So you will sit down and eat what I have cooked for you!"

"I have a work meeting in a few minutes." Amy lied, backing away to the doorway. "Anyway, Rory can eat it when he comes here later. He doesn't mind cold breakfast."

"Aren't you going to stay to talk to him?" Her Aunt asked, unable to keep the hope from her tone. She wanted Rory and Amy to reconcile, having been the one to match them up together in the first place.

Amy shook her head and smiled sadly. "No. Like I said, I have a work meeting."

Without saying goodbye, she hurried out of the kitchen and out of the house.

~I~

Two hours later, the TARDIS materialised in the middle of Amy's living room. The Doctor caught sight of his appearance just before he opened the doors, and grimaced at his reflection. He was still wearing the clothes that he'd been wearing when he told Amy that he was taking her home, and now they were rumpled and covered in stains.

Deciding that he didn't care what he looked like, he stepped out of the TARDIS tentatively. "Amy?" He called. "Amy?"

The house was completely silent.

Frowning, the Doctor closed the TARDIS doors and approached the mantelpiece. He'd purposefully set the co-ordinates to Leadworth three months after he'd left Amy, so she could have the chance to move on with her life. He was expecting to see wedding photos littering the mantelpiece, but all of the photos were of Amy as a little girl.

Suddenly he heard the front door open, and he spun towards the direction of the door, beaming.

But it wasn't Amy who had walked in.

Rory stood in the doorway to Living Room, an incredulous look on his face. "Doctor?" He asked, confused.

The Doctor waved at him awkwardly. "Rory! It's good to see you again!" He told him, putting on a brace façade. "How've you been? What's your lovely wife up to nowadays?"

Rory's face filled with fury, and he charged at the Doctor.

Before the Doctor could react, Rory's fist connected with his face, and he slumped to the ground.

~I~

The Doctor woke up moments later to an earthquake, though when he opened his eyes, it was only Rory shaking his body frantically. "Doctor? Doctor? Wake up!"

The Doctor leapt to his feet, narrowly avoiding banging heads with Rory, and rubbed his sore cheek. "Did you knock me out because I didn't buy you a wedding present?" He asked him in confusion.

Rory stared incredulously at him. "Doctor, I hit you because of what you've done to Amy."

The Doctor gave him an anguished look. "What have I done to her?" He whispered, his voice breaking in the middle.

But Rory acted like he hadn't heard him. "And I thought that you'd…I don't know…hit me back! I'm so sorry for knocking you out. I didn't think you'd be the weaker man out of the two of us!"

"Do I look like a skinny ninja to you?" The Doctor asked him, shaking his head.

"Well…yeah."

" Rory, I'm the Doctor. Not a black belt in Karate. Tried it once, but it's not really my style. I'm more of a–"

"Do you want to shut up now?" Rory interrupted, frowning at him.

The Doctor hastily closed his mouth, and he sank down onto the sofa behind him. "So, how's Amy been?" He asked quietly, trying to keep his emotion out of his voice.

Rory sat down on the chair opposite him. "How do you think she's been?" He spat, glaring at him.

The Doctor winced at his harsh tone. "Rory, I made a terrible mistake, and I'm sorry for hurting the both of you. I will regret it for the rest of my existence, I swear."

"A mistake? Doctor, you've killed Amy!" Rory cried, slamming his hand down on the armrest.

The Doctor's head shot up, and he felt his eyes fill with tears. "No..._no_! Amy can't be…" He trailed off, and covered his face with his hands.

"She's not dead like that." Rory assured him quickly. "But you've killed her inside. She doesn't eat, she doesn't sleep, and she stays up and sits in her back garden all night long, waiting for you!"

"Oh Amy…I've failed you." The Doctor mumbled, turning his gaze to the door, as if Amy was behind it. "I'm so sorry."

"There's more." Rory added. "She broke up with me, quit her job—"

The Doctor returned his attention to him. "She's not a kiss-o-gram anymore? But I thought she loved that job."

Rory gave him a strange look. "The only reason she was a kiss-o-gram was because of you Doctor."

That stunned the Doctor. "Me?"

"Amy loved make-believe, so putting on a costume and pretending to be someone else was ideal for her. And it all comes down to you." Rory explained. "Everyone said that you were make-believe, the Raggedy Doctor."

"I really have hurt her, haven't I? Mad, impossible Amy Pond. What have I done to her?" The Doctor whispered sorrowfully.

"You ruined her." Rory told him cruelly. "I just hope you can bring her back. I haven't seen her smile for three months. Three months Doctor!"

"A trip to see one of her favourite celebrities should make her happy." The Doctor remarked, studying the TARDIS intently. "I'm sure Tom Cruise would be happy to meet her."

"You're taking her away again?" Rory asked him angrily. "After all of the things that you said to her?"

The Doctor leaned forward. "Rory, look. I know that I've hurt her, and you, but what I said to her…do you really think that I meant it?" He paused, and stared straight into Rory's eyes. "I love her Rory. I love her so much. And I promise that I'll fix her."

Rory studied the Doctor, and realised that he was telling the truth when he saw sincerity and regret reflected in the Doctor's eyes.

"Just take good care of her." Rory muttered, rising to his feet.

"I will. Thank you Rory." The Doctor replied, offering him his hand.

Rory stared at his outstretched hand dubiously, before shaking it. "You'll find Amy in the Post Office." He told him. "Look after her for me."

The Doctor nodded and clapped his shoulder. "You're a good man Rory." He said as he stepped into the TARDIS.

Rory shook his head in disagreement, but couldn't keep a small smile from his face as he waved goodbye to the Doctor.

~I~

The Doctor was tempted to park the TARDIS right next to wherever Amy was, but decided that if she was as frail as Rory said she was, he'd probably shock her to death.

Needing Amy to be alive so that he could get her to forgive him, he parked his ship right next to the Post Office entrance.

He left his ship and stopped outside of the entrance, adjusting his bowtie in the reflection of the glass. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the doors and joined the queue.

He saw Amy immediately. She was at one of the desks, staring blankly at a computer screen. The sign above her said that her desk was closed, so the Doctor jumped the rest of the queue and stopped outside of the glass.

He banged on the glass to get her attention, but she didn't turn her gaze away from the screen. "This desk is closed. Please use another." She said in a monotone voice.

The Doctor didn't reply, too focused on her appearance. Rory hadn't been exaggerating when he'd told him that she didn't eat. The Doctor could tell that she hadn't eaten in days. Gone were her bright eyes and rosy cheeks. Instead, her face was gaunt, and her skin was sallow.

But she still looked absolutely magnificent to him.

He knocked on the glass again, and this time, Amy tore her eyes away from her computer. "For the last time Sir, this de—"

She stopped abruptly when she realised that it was the Doctor who was trying to grab her attention.

He grinned sheepishly at her. "Hey Pond. I'm here to pick up a special delivery. You."

**YAY FOR AN ALMOST HAPPY ENDING ;)**

**All reviewers get a preview as thank you present for reviewing ;)**

**Muchos love,**

**Hayley x**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: I nearly fainted from shock when I got home from my mini-trip and saw the review count. Oh, and the fact that I had over 900 hits for the last chapter. Whoa. You guys blow my mind. Seriously.**

**I know I promised a snippet of the next chapter to all of you, but as soon as I got home, I decided it would be better if I just uploaded the chapter instead of teasing you with extracts. I hope you don't mind!**

****

**The general response was that most of you wanted Amy to kick the Doctor's ass, but wanted a sweet reunion between them too. Was I nice enough to give you what you wanted? Read and find out ;D**

* * *

Amy stared at him, conflicted with different emotions. Seeing his face brought her pain, hope, anger, relief…and love.

The Doctor could see that she didn't know how to react to his presence. "Okay, that line was cheesy." He commented in an attempt to make her laugh. "I am never saying that again."

Amy's expression didn't change.

The Doctor didn't know what to say now. He couldn't even start an apology to her. There was so much that he needed to apologise for that he was at a loss at where to start.

Anger finally overcame the rest of Amy's emotions, and she shot out of her chair, disappearing from behind the glass.

Just as the Doctor was about to break the glass and follow after her, she appeared at his side. Grabbing his hand, she yanked him out of the post office, ignoring the calls from her colleagues demanding to know where the hell she was going.

Amy spotted the TARDIS outside, and she shoved open the doors, dropping the Doctor's hand as she marched inside.

The Doctor could feel his ship's relief about being reunited with Amy, but he couldn't share her feelings. Amy was clearly furious with him, and he doubted that there was something he could to do to get her to forgive him for what he'd done to her.

Amy stopped by the console and turned around slowly to face him, and the Doctor was stunned as he saw a box materialise beside her. _Damned TARDIS._

Amy reached into the box, and withdrew three heavy books, and the Doctor frowned in confusion. "What are you—aah!" He broke off and threw himself to the ground, just as one of the books came hurtling towards him.

"Three. Bloody. Months!" Amy hissed, throwing the other two books at him.

The Doctor ducked, narrowly avoiding being knocked unconscious by a limited edition of Hamlet, and cried, "Look Amy! I know that you're mad, but violence isn't the answer!"

"I've waited for you for three months, so I think violence is the answer!" She yelled back, taking out more books and hurling them at him. "If you had any idea what I've been through, then you'd prefer a bruise over a broken heart any day!"

The Doctor winced at that, unable to form a reply, knowing that she was right. He stopped dodging then, and gazed at her. "Okay Pond," He whispered, stretching out his arms. "Give me your best shot."

Amy frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Hurt me just as much as I've hurt you." The Doctor told her pleadingly. "It's what I deserve."

But Amy couldn't hurt him, knowing that he was just as hurt inside as she was. She dropped the books back into the box, and shook her head. "I can't Doctor." She whispered.

"Please Amy!" He begged, walking towards her. "I know that I've hurt you, and—"

Amy smiled then, and the Doctor stopped talking. "Oh Doctor," She whispered, taking a small step towards him. "It's okay. I knew you'd come back. You always come back."

The Doctor dropped his arms, and gave her a soft smile. "Only for you, Amelia Pond."

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" She reminded him fondly, taking another step towards him. "Too child-like. Too fairy-tale."

The Doctor gazed at her, nothing but love and affection shining in his eyes. "Doesn't our story remind you of a fairytale though? The raggedy Doctor and the Scottish girl from an English village."

"I guess so. Now we just need our happy ever after." Amy murmured, still walking towards him.

"I don't know about you Miss Pond, but I think I've already found mine," The Doctor whispered, as she stopped in front of him.

Amy pressed her hand against his cheek, but withdrew it when she realised something. "Doctor? What you said to me before you took me home…did you mean it?" She asked, tears brimming in her eyes.

The Doctor reached out tentatively to lace his fingers lightly through hers, and he allowed himself to feel some relief when Amy gripped his hand tightly with hers.

"Amy," The Doctor began quietly. "I've hurt a lot of people-I've _had_ to hurt a lot of people. But what I said to you was the worst thing I've ever said. I was lying to you Amy, but I truly believed that I was doing the right thing."

He paused then, and took Amy's other hand in his. "Amy, you do belong here. The TARDIS has been your home ever since I crashed in your garden when you were seven."

Amy smiled slightly, and using that small smile as encouragement, the Doctor continued. "I love you Amy. I lied when I told you that I didn't. I'm so much in love with you that it killed me to be apart from you. I nearly tore myself apart after I took you home, and look what I've done to you! I've ruined your life again!"

He pressed his forehead to hers, and closed his tormented eyes. "I don't blame you if you don't want to stay with me again." He whispered, unable to look at her. "I don't deserve you."

He felt Amy's hands cupping his face, and he opened his eyes to see her smiling warmly at him. "Don't talk stupid." She murmured, before she tilted his head down and kissed him softly on the lips.

The Doctor's eyes fluttered shut, and he let out a sigh of contentment against her lips as he crushed her body to his. "I've missed you Pond." He whispered.

"Show me how much you've missed me." Amy whispered back, and the Doctor pulled back to gaze at her.

Unable to ignore the raw need in her eyes, the Doctor took her hand and led her up the TARDIS stairs.

~I~

Despite seeing the wonders of the Universe, Amy decided that there was no better place than lying in the Doctor's arms, their legs entangled as they lay together in his bed.

Instead of enjoying the moment like Amy was, the Doctor was worrying. He ran his fingers lightly up and down her back, anxious at the sight of her spine jutting out of her skin.

Amy raised her head from the Doctor's chest to smile at him, but he was too concerned to smile back.

Rolling her eyes, she propped herself up on one elbow beside him. "What's wrong?" She asked him, poking his stomach lightly.

The Doctor captured her hand in his and sighed. "You're so thin." He whispered, wrapping his fingers around her frail wrist. "What have I done to you?"

Amy groaned dramatically, and rolled over onto her back. "I'm fine!" She insisted.

"Amy, you're too skinny!" The Doctor cried. "I know I'm a skinny bloke, but come on!"

"God, you sound like you've been talking to Rory." Amy muttered, glaring at the ceiling.

"I have!" The Doctor told her, and Amy sat up to look at him. "He told me what you've been like the past three months, and that's not you Amy. Not the mad, impossible, magnificent Amy Pond that I know and love."

Amy gave him her best smile. "Doctor! I'm fine! See?"

"Amy, you can't forgive me so easily!" The Doctor sighed. "I've made the last few months hell for you, and Rory said himself that I ruined you. You can't just be back to normal after what I've put you through."

There was some truth to his words, but Amy wouldn't tell him that.

"Doctor, I know that the past three months have been awful, you don't need to remind me of that." Seeing self-hatred in the Doctor's eyes, she hastily continued. "But I'm fine. You were the reason why I was upset, but now that I have you back, I'm fine."

Seeing the Doctor's doubt, Amy added, "If it makes you feel any better, I'll try to put some weight on and eat more. And I won't try to hit you with books, I promise."

The Doctor chuckled weakly, and that was good enough for Amy. She snuggled back down in his embrace, and the Doctor wrapped his arms around her tightly. "So do you still want to travel with me?" He asked her quietly.

Amy smiled and kissed his chest. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

**It would make my day if you reviewed. Who knows? Maybe you'll get an extract of the next chapter...and find out where Amy and the Doctor are off to next. I bet you don't get the right answer! ;D But maybe you'll prove me wrong!**

**Hayley x**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Sorry for not updating for so long. The good news is that I've written the next few chapters, so I can update regularly again.**

**I thought I might warn you that the new few chapters are going to be…different. Not the next three, but the chapters after that are going to be sad/AU. I'm sort of in a dark place right now, and it's affecting my writing. But I'm trying to work myself out of it. The chapters are still readable though. And I think you'll still like them….I hope.**

**Anyway, enough about me. Read the chapter and find out where Amy and the Doctor are off to next! Seeing as I gave all of my reviewers a preview, I think you know where they're going now!**

**(Thank you to Listeningtotheradio, M, DaWhoGirl, Siodhna and Lizzie18salmons – You were my anonymous reviewers and reviewers who have PM's disabled so I could not reply to your review and give you a preview :\ )**

* * *

Before the Doctor flew the TARDIS away from Leadworth, he had to make a pit stop first, at Amy's insistence. She was adamant to say goodbye to her Aunt properly, instead of rushing off like she did on her night before her wedding.

But because they'd spent a long time inside of the TARDIS, time outside had passed quickly, so when they finally emerged, it had been three days since Amy had dragged the Doctor out of the post office and into the TARDIS.

"Are you sure that you want to walk to your Aunt's house?" The Doctor asked Amy, reluctant to leave his ship. "We could fly there."

"And waste another few hours? Not a chance!" Amy laughed, grabbing his hands and yanking him out of the TARDIS. "Besides, you want to make a good impression on my Aunt."

"Amy, I'm a 907 year-old alien. How is that going to make a good impression?" The Doctor demanded, stumbling after her as she began to walk down the road.

"Hey, you've kept me happy all of my life, and my Aunt knows that. You're my 'imaginary' friend, remember?"

"That may be true, but I was also the reason why everyone in Leadworth thought you were mad." The Doctor reminded her gently.

Amy shrugged. "I knew that you were real, and that was all that mattered."

"Yes, but your Aunt thinks that I kidnapped you before your wedding to Rory!" The Doctor exclaimed, waving his arms around wildly.

"It's not kidnap if the person is willing to go with their kidnapper." Amy stated. "Besides, deciding to leave Leadworth was the best decision of my life."

The Doctor didn't even hear her, too panicked to listen. "And she knows that I deserted you for three months and left you heart-broken!"

Amy came to a halt, and met the Doctor's anxious gaze. "You're right. Maybe you should worry."

The Doctor threw his hands up in the air dramatically. "I am worrying! Can't you see me freaking out here?"

"Alright, calm down monkey boy. Enough with the dramatics!" Amy sighed, pulling the Doctor's arms down. "Just don't show her your fear, or she'll eat you alive."

"She's a cannibal?" The Doctor asked, his face paling.

Amy rolled her eyes at him. "It's just an expression. Now, relax!" She tweaked his bowtie and kissed him lightly on the lips.

The Doctor relaxed slightly. "Relax. I can do that."

Amy nodded encouragingly. "'Course you can. You're normal. Well, as normal as an ancient alien can get anyway."

"Ancient?" The Doctor repeated in bewilderment. "Pond, did you just call me ancient?"

Amy winked at him and began to walk again, and the Doctor struggled to keep up with her. "How can you say that I'm ancient?" He demanded, offended by her adjective for him.

"Maybe that was the wrong word to use." Amy commented. "How about timeless?"

"Timeless. That's better." The Doctor said, nodding his approval. "I like that word."

"But you're ancient compared to me!" Amy couldn't help but quip, and she broke into a run at the Doctor's baffled face.

"Take that back Pond!" He threatened, chasing after her.

But Amy couldn't resist winding him up some more. "Maybe I shouldn't be dating an older man." She yelled back to him. "Kind of disgusting."

"You didn't have any complaints earlier." The Doctor retorted, a mischievous smile on his face as he ran after her.

Amy stopped again, realising that she was in front of her house. Seeing that the Doctor was gaining on her, she rushed up to the front door and took her keys out from her pocket to escape from him.

But the Doctor was too fast, and he appeared next to her, grabbing her wrists and pinning her to the wall. The keys clattered onto the stone step, but neither of them noticed.

"Disgusting?" The Doctor said, amusement lacing his tone. "I suppose some people would think that. But my appearance makes me look about 27 years old, which technically makes me 6 years older than you."

"Still a bit of an age gap." Amy teased, and the Doctor grinned.

"Shut up Pond." He muttered, leaning forward and kissing her.

Amy tried to tug her hands out of his grip, but he was too strong. "Nope, you can't escape from me this time." He laughed, resting his forehead against hers.

Suddenly the front door banged open, and the Doctor flew away from Amy, his eyes wide with fright as he caught sight of Amy's angry aunt.

"Where the bloody hell have you two been?" She snapped, grabbing both of their arms and hauling them into the house. "Rory told me you'd left already, but I didn't believe him."

The Doctor thought it best not to mention that her fingernails were digging painfully into his skin, despite his thick tweed jacket, though Amy couldn't stay silent.

"For goodness sake Sharon, we're not animals!" She hissed, wrenching her arm out of her aunt's grip.

Her Aunt acted like she hadn't heard her, and she stalked into the kitchen, releasing the Doctor as she did so. "I mean, you wouldn't leave me without saying goodbye. And you know I'd want to meet your new boyfriend."

Amy groaned and followed her aunt, and the Doctor stumbled along behind her, running his hands through his hair nervously.

"Now, seeing as you two have been stuck inside a box for three days, you better eat!" Sharon told them, opening her freezer and shovelling frozen food onto the kitchen side. The Doctor's face lit up when Sharon pulled out a box of fish fingers, and Amy groaned again.

"The TARDIS is bigger on the inside, how many times do I have to tell you?" She sighed. "And there's a kitchen in there too!"

Before she could explain that time passed quicker inside of the TARDIS, the Doctor shook his head frantically at her. Amy frowned in confusion, and the Doctor whispered, "I haven't had a home-cooked meal for ages. Let her cook for us!"

Amy scowled and sat down at the kitchen table. "I'm not hungry." She said stubbornly.

Her Aunt slammed down a bag of frozen chips, making Amy and the Doctor jump. "Amelia, I'm going to make you eat, even if I have to force the food into your mouth!" She thundered.

"I agree with your Aunt." The Doctor added meekly, slipping into the chair beside Amy's. "You need to eat."

Amy's glare scared him, but he wouldn't relent. He knew that she needed to eat, despite her insistence that she wasn't hungry.

Sharon poured the chips and fish fingers onto a tray and placed it into the oven. "Your dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. And during that time, you are going to tell me exactly why you took my niece away on the night before her wedding and then abandoned her for three months." She commanded, turning her anger on the Doctor.

He swallowed nervously, and shot Amy an anxious look.

Fortunately, Amy stood up for him. "Hey, the Doctor didn't know that it was the night before my wedding, because I didn't tell him!"

"The Doctor can speak for himself Amelia." Sharon told her without taking her eyes from the Doctor's face.

Before the Doctor could reply, the back door suddenly swung open, and Rory stumbled through. "Sharon! Could I—" But he stopped when he saw Amy and the Doctor sitting at the table. "Uh…hello!"

Amy grumbled a greeting back, but the Doctor stood up and embraced him. "Rory! Good to see you again!" He said earnestly.

It was hard to tell whom was more shocked by the Doctor's warm greeting. Sharon's face softened, Rory looked bemused and Amy stood up to push the Doctor back down onto his chair.

"It's nice to see you too…I guess." Rory replied, staring at the Doctor in amazement. "But I thought you'd left already."

"Nope. We're going tonight." The Doctor said, leaning back in his chair and smiling cheerfully at him. "Don't know where we're going though. Maybe to find some Bizzicles. Who knows?"

"Bizzicles? They sound interesting." Rory remarked, sitting down opposite him. "Are they aliens?"

"Yes. They're a bit like giant grasshoppers, only they're blue." The Doctor replied. "Big fans of trees."

Rory laughed at that, and the Doctor couldn't help but chuckle along with him.

Amy and her Aunt looked from one to the other, both stunned at their casual interaction. They were sure that they'd be fighting, but they were acting like they were friends.

"Want to see them with us?" The Doctor asked him, and before Rory could reply, Amy yelled, "No way!"

The Doctor blinked. "Why not?" He asked her, puzzled. "I'm sure Rory would love to see them."

Rory nodded his head in agreement, and Amy lost it. "You're taking my ex-fiancée travelling with us when I ditched him for you!" She cried. "You should be yelling at each other, not acting like friends. You're both mental!"

"That's not the first time I've heard that." The Doctor said, and Sharon laughed.

"Amy, I have nothing against the Doctor." Rory told her gently. "I always knew that I was second best compared to him, even when we were both kids. He's good for you."

"Yet you told me over and over again that he'd ruined me!" She retorted furiously. "Even when he left me."

The Doctor winced at that, and dropped his gaze to the table.

"Amy, I know that I said that." Rory said. "But look at you. You're back to being fiery-tempered Amy Pond. You've come back."

Amy gave him a doubtful look. "I've come back? What the hell does that mean?"

Rory just laughed and turned to the Doctor. "See? You've brought her back. I knew that you could, despite what I said to you."

The Doctor gazed at Amy, and saw that Rory was right. Yes, she was still too skinny, but she had her fierce temper back. "Amy Pond. Mad, impossible Amy Pond. You're back." He whispered, reaching out for her.

Amy was still uncertain, but she allowed the Doctor to draw her into his arms. "I am?" She asked quietly, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You are." He confirmed, and he kissed the top of her head. "Magnificent."

Amy smiled and closed her eyes, realising finally that the Doctor was right. The hole in her heart that the Doctor's absence had caused was gone. She was whole again.

Rory smiled at their embrace, which confused Sharon. She leaned towards him and whispered, "Isn't this uncomfortable for you?"

"No. She's happy. I'm happy." Rory murmured back. "We were only destined to be best friends, nothing more. I should have realised that sooner."

Sharon felt slightly disappointed at that, but when she glanced at Amy and the Doctor, she smiled at the blissful expression on their faces.

There was no Amy Pond without the Doctor, and there was no Doctor without his Amy.

And that was exactly how it should be.

**Cheesy ending. Oh well.**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: This chapter, (and probably the rest of the story), is dedicated to DaWhogirl, who reviewed so many times that she pushed my review count from 395 to over 430. The time you took to reread my story again AND review every chapter amazed me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the sweet comments! :) It's people like you who inspire me to keep writing, so thank you very much, again! Hugs and kisses to you :) xx**

**Also a special thanks to Ellie, Julia and Lily…my faithful reviewers/friends! :) xxx**

**I'm still in a dark place, but the clouds are breaking up. Thank you for your kind words and support. I love you guys. Honestly.**

* * *

Despite her previous reluctance, Amy ate the food that her Aunt cooked, much to everyone's relief.

After the Doctor had washed up, breaking many plates in the process, he set off for the TARDIS with Amy and Rory. He strode ahead of them as they walked towards the ship, eager to get inside and travel away from the Earth.

Not surprisingly, the atmosphere between Amy and Rory was awkward. The Doctor had made a clever escape by walking ahead of them.

"So…" Amy started as they walked. "Looking forward to seeing some Bizzicles?"

Rory smiled, much to her relief. "Course I am. It's not everyday you see giant, blue grasshoppers!"

"That's nothing compared to what I've seen." Amy told him, eager to continue their conversation. "Stone angels, a Star-whale, Heartreeps, even Winston Churchill! You would not believe what he kept trying to do to the Doctor!"

Rory didn't reply, and at his silence, Amy began to grow anxious. "Rory?" She questioned, nudging him. "Earth to Rory!"

But Rory didn't laugh. "After seeing those things, I can see why you didn't want to return to Leadworth to marry me."

"Rory, I'm sorry." She whispered, touching his arm.

Suddenly he grinned, confusing her. "Amy, it's fine. I was just making a remark. Anyway, I've forgiven you for that…because you see…I've met—"

"Come on you two, don't dilly-dally!" They heard the Doctor call cheerfully, and they both looked up to see him unlocking the TARDIS door. "I need to sleep!"

Amy immediately snatched her hand from Rory's arm and ran the rest of the way to the TARDIS. "You? Sleep?" She snorted. "You can't tell me you're tired."

The Doctor gave her an odd look. "Of course I am. I haven't slept since I took you home. You've worn me out Pond!" He chuckled, ruffling her hair playfully, causing her to dodge out of his way and scowl at him.

"Sleep sounds good to me." Rory said as he joined them, and the Doctor gave Amy a look, as if to say, 'So there!'

"Right then Rory." The Doctor said, pushing open the TARDIS door. "You may be surprised to know that the interior of the TARDIS isn't what you think it is. Take a look inside."

Rory stepped inside, and the Doctor quickly followed, eager to hear his comments about his beloved ship. "So, what do you think?" He asked him excitedly. "I've heard everything. Surprise me with a new word!"

"This is exactly how I thought it would be." Rory replied, nodding as he surveyed the TARDIS.

The Doctor froze. "Pardon?"

"It's bigger on the inside. I knew that all along."

Amy stifled a giggle at the Doctor's annoyance. "When I said 'surprise me', I meant a good surprise!" He cried angrily, stomping up to the console and pressing down one of the levers. "What do you mean, this is exactly how you thought it would be?"

"I did some research on time and relative dimensions after the incident with Prison Zero." Rory said nonchalantly. "So I knew exactly what the TARDIS would be like."

"Well then, you're boring!" The Doctor snapped, now stamping up the stairs. "Boring, boring, _boring!_"

Rory looked a little shocked at the Doctor's insult. "What, did you expect me to go all moony-eyed over it or something?" He asked him, baffled by the Doctor's sudden foul mood.

"That's exactly what he expected!" Amy told him, grinning as she bounded up the stairs after the Doctor. "He loves to show off."

The Doctor ignored her. "Rory, your bedroom is on the second floor. It's got a green door on it. Amy will show you where it is. Now, I'm going to bed!"

Without bidding either of them goodnight, he disappeared into his bedroom.

Rory and Amy exchanged uncomfortable looks. "He hates me now." Rory said gloomily. "I knew I should have kept my mouth shut."

Amy shrugged half-heartedly. "Don't worry about it. He lost it with me on our first trip together. But then, I could have killed us both…and the whole population of Britain…"

"You what?" Rory exclaimed, hurrying up the stairs to join her. "Tell me everything!"

Smiling, Amy told him about the trip to Starship UK, all of those months ago, and Rory laughed hysterically when Amy told him about the Doctor's excitement about being inside of the mouth of a Star-whale.

When the story was finished, they bid each other goodnight, and Rory went inside of his bedroom. Amy laughed when she heard him gasp at the wardrobe inside of his room, which no doubt was full of clothes exactly suited for him.

She headed back down the corridor, unsure of where to go next. The Doctor was clearly in a bad mood, and although it wasn't directed towards her, she still hesitated outside of his bedroom door.

She hovered outside for a couple of minutes, before she heard the Doctor yell, "Are you going to stand out there all day Pond, or are you coming in?"

Shaking her head in disbelief at how he knew she was outside, she pushed open the door and saw the Doctor lying in his bed, gazing at her.

"Could you turn the light off?" He yawned, closing his eyes.

Amy switched off the lights and closed the door softly, before quickly changing into a pair of pyjamas that had been helpfully laid out for her. She slipped into the Doctor's bed, and curled up on her side, feeling tired all of a sudden.

She felt the Doctor turn onto his side as well, and he slipped his arms around her waist to pull her against his chest. "Night Pond." He mumbled sleepily, pressing his lips to the back of her neck.

"Night." Amy murmured back drowsily, closing her eyes. "Love you."

She heard the Doctor echo it back, before she slipped into unconsciousness, dreaming about an adventure with the man she loved.

~I~

Amy was the first one to awake, something that surprised her, as the Doctor was more of an early-riser than she was.

She turned around slowly, not wanting to disturb the Doctor, and smiled fondly at his peaceful expression. She began to trace the contours of his face with her fingertip, and she grinned when she saw a soft smile grace the Doctor's lips from her touch.

Removing her hand, she concentrated on memorising the Doctor's face, not knowing when the next time would be when she could stare at him openly. For someone so old, it didn't show in his appearance.

"You know, it's rude to stare at someone when they're pretending to be asleep." The Doctor suddenly remarked, and Amy jumped at the sound of his voice.

She smacked his chest playfully, and the Doctor opened his eyes. "Morning Pond." He grinned, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "Sleep well?"

"Very well. I had a dream we were being chased by orange hippos." She told him, smiling as she remembered the dream in her head.

The Doctor laughed lightly. "Could have been worse…it could have been giant wasps. Unpleasant things they are."

"You know, I'm not even going to ask when you were chased by giant wasps!" Amy giggled, untangling herself from his embrace and rising up from the bed. "But I know that we're going to be chased by Bizzicles, so we'd better get ready!"

The Doctor laughed again and quickly clambered out of the bed. "Of course we are. Trouble just seems to follow us wherever we go." He commented, grabbing her hand and yanking her out of the bedroom. "Now, what colour bowtie should I wear today? Seeing as we're going to a jungle, I thought green, but then I quite like the idea of wearing red…what do you think?"

To his surprise, he saw tears well up in Amy's eyes. Panicked, he stopped, and cupped her face in his hands. "Amy? What's wrong?" He asked her frantically.

Amy smiled, her eyes shining. "I was just thinking that it's so good to be home. Nothing is better than discussing bowties with you in the morning."

The Doctor beamed, and the warmth of his smile was enough to dazzle Amy. "Oh Pond. I love you." He whispered, before their lips met in a sweet, meaningful kiss.

"Nice pyjamas." They heard Rory comment from behind them, and Amy immediately broke their kiss to stare guiltily at him. Although she had no feelings towards him, she couldn't help but feel guilty for flaunting her relationship with the Doctor in front of him, though she truly hadn't meant to.

The Doctor didn't share her guilt, and he was more than happy to wrap his arms around Amy's waist. "We're starting a trend." He told Rory, who was grinning at the state of them. "The TARDIS made them for us. I'm sure she'll make some for you as well, if you ask her nicely."

Amy hadn't really looked at what she was wearing, and when she glanced down, she saw that she was wearing the same nightwear as the Doctor. Their pyjamas were a dark blue material, and they were covered in mini pictures of the TARDIS. They were cute, but they were more designed for a child than for two adults, especially when one of them was over 900 years old.

"I'm good thanks." Rory said as he walked up to them, and Amy watched him closely to see his reaction to their embrace. But to her bewilderment, he didn't seem to be reacting at all. The grin on his face was genuine. "They're cute, but they're much better-suited to you two than to me. I'll stick to the plain, flannel pyjamas."

Smiling, the trio began to head for the kitchen, debating on what was better, the TARDIS themed pyjamas, or the flannel.

_Definitely the TARDIS pattern. _

~I~

After they'd eaten breakfast and gotten changed, Amy decided that the Doctor should wear his red bow tie, and that she should wear his blue one, something that amazed him.

"Amelia Pond, have I ever told you how magnificent you are?" He exclaimed happily, tossing her his blue bow tie.

Amy grinned and tied it on. "Yes, but I don't mind hearing it again." She quipped cheekily.

"You're magnificent." He replied, tying his on as well. "Now, you need to be very careful with that bowtie, because if it's returned to me damaged, I will not be responsible for my actions."

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. This is a one-off occasion only, so it won't be damaged." Amy told him, tweaking his bowtie. "I'll never wear it again."

"But it suits you!" The Doctor protested, spinning her around to face the mirror.

Amy sighed at her reflection. "A mini skirt and a bowtie? What am I thinking? I must really love you."

The Doctor beamed and kissed the top of her head, before Rory knocked gently on the wardrobe door. "Ready to go yet?" He called, and Amy and the Doctor hurried to the door, eager to start their adventure.

~I~

It only took the Doctor a couple of minutes to fly the TARDIS to the Vatikian Jungle, where the Bizzicles lived.

When Amy opened the TARDIS doors, she was stunned at the sight. "How tall is that grass?" She asked curiously, staring at the tall blades of grass that surrounded the TARDIS.

Once the Doctor had joined her, he tilted his head, calculating the height. "Hmm, one metre and thirty-three centimetres."

"How are we supposed to see anything if the grass gets taller?" Rory asked, stepping out of the TARDIS with them.

"We're not." The Doctor replied simply, heading towards the grass. "We'll hear the Bizzicles if they come towards us, and then we'll run away from the noise."

"Why are we here then if we can't see them?" Rory asked, bewildered.

"It's only dangerous if we meet them in this grass, it's their hunting ground you see." The Doctor called over his shoulder. "But if we climb into the trees, which are on the other side of the jungle, we can have a nice little chat with them…if they don't try to sacrifice us, that is."

Amy ran after him, and Rory quickly followed. "You're mental Doctor!" He yelled, but the Doctor just laughed and began to wade through the grass.

"Wait for us!" Amy yelled, following him into the grass.

"I am waiting!" The Doctor yelled back. "Hurry up!"

Amy reached his side first, and Rory joined them a minute later.

"Right, my main concern is you losing my bowtie in this grass." The Doctor told Amy, who rolled her eyes at him. "But my other concern is what happens if one of us gets lost, or kidnapped by the Bizzicles."

"Could we die in here?" Rory asked worriedly, now regretting wanting to travel with the Doctor.

The Doctor looked astonished by his question. "The Bizzicles aren't a violent race…usually. But we may suffocate in this grass…oh Rory, I'm joking!" He added as Rory's face went white. "Now, let's go!"

"Go where?" Rory questioned, wading through the grass after the Doctor.

"Don't know yet!" The Doctor replied happily, pushing through the grass. "Anyway, that's part of the—oh no."

"Oh no?" Amy repeated, poking him in the back. "What's wrong?"

"This grass is getting deeper." The Doctor replied, before his voice brightened. "Oh well, not to worry! We'll be able to hide from the Bizzicles easier, though it will be—aah!"

The Doctor suddenly fell through the grass, and Amy screamed. Rory, who had fallen behind them, rushed to see what was wrong, before falling through the grass as well.

"Doctor? Rory?" Amy cried, kneeling down in the grass to feel the ground with her hands. Once she'd traced a few steps, she felt thin air, and knew that they'd fallen into a hole, or a tunnel.

"Can you hear me you two?" She yelled, though all she could hear was silence.

Standing up, she prepared to jump down after them, when a loud buzzing sound filled the silence.

Before she had time to jump, something sharp pierced her in the neck, knocking her unconscious.

**A long time ago, a reviewer called 'Don't diss the sonic' gave me the idea of Amy wearing a bowtie, so I decided to use it :)**

**Every Reviewer gets a preview of the next chapter!**

**Hayley x**


	33. Chapter 33

****

**A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. My Internet decided to cut out when I needed it the most. Silly Internet connection.**

**And I'm sorry I didn't reply to anyone's reviews. But here's a chapter to make up for it. Warning; after the next chapter, things get a little dark. **

**On the plus side...450 reviews! The Doctor, Amy and I thank you! :)**

**xxx**

* * *

The Doctor didn't like the situation he was in one bit.

One, because he was in a dark tunnel with no idea what was in it.

Two, because Amy wasn't with him.

And three, because her ex-fiancée was sprawled on top of him.

"For goodness sake Rory, will you get up?" The Doctor groaned from underneath him. "I think I'm dying down here, and regenerating really isn't something I wish to do at this current moment in time."

Rory quickly scrambled to his feet, and the Doctor could finally breathe again. "Thank you!" He muttered, rising to his feet as well. "For someone so skinny, you're remarkably heavy."

"Or you're just remarkably weak." Rory retorted, and even though it was pitch-black, the Doctor knew he was grinning.

"Well, instead of debating about who's weak and who's heavy, we really should be focusing on finding out where we are." The Doctor said briskly, straightening his bowtie.

"It's a good thing I brought this then." Rory commented, pulling out a small torch from his pocket, the kind of torch that belonged on a key ring.

The Doctor was unimpressed, and he reached into his pocket to withdraw his own torch. "Ultra violet. Portable sunlight." He explained, seeing Rory's awed face in the purple light.

"Yours is bigger than mine." Rory muttered, disgruntled, as he put his torch away.

"Let's not go there now." The Doctor said quickly, holding out his torch to illuminate more of the tunnel.

"How did you even fit that into your jacket?" Rory asked in amazement. "What are you, Mary Poppins?"

The Doctor frowned at him. "Mary who?"

Rory was flabbergasted. "You've never heard of Mary Poppins? You know, the woman who looks after children?"

"Oh, _that_ Mary Poppins! Of course I have. And I've also heard of Amy Pond, and she is much more important to me than this Mary woman, so I need to find her." The Doctor replied, beginning to walk down the tunnel.

"Wait Doctor, I have an idea!" Rory called. "Come back!"

The Doctor turned around and looked at him dubiously. "What's your idea then?"

"Why don't I hoist you up?" Rory suggested.

The Doctor stared at him in bewilderment. "Rory, we're about fifty metres underground. How on Earth am I supposed to use you to get back to the top? We're going to have to follow this tunnel I'm afraid."

"Yes, I was afraid of going down the tunnel." Rory muttered. "But how did we survive the fall?"

The Doctor was already walking away again. "Because you landed on top of me!" He yelled back to him. "And I survived because…well…I'm the Doctor!"

Rory hurried to catch up with him, and both men walked side-by-side down the tunnel, the Doctor occasionally stopping to sniff the walls.

"Why couldn't Amy have followed us down?" The Doctor sighed, shaking his head sadly. "Honestly, I'm going to have to dig out the superglue when we find her and stick her to me. The situation she could be in…" He broke off and sighed again.

"Situation? They're grasshoppers, they can't do anything!"

The Doctor glared at him. "Sixty foot Grasshoppers that sacrifice humans to the trees!" He reminded him harshly. "I told you that just a few minutes ago, but you're human, and humans never listen to me! It's my face I'm telling you!"

"Your face? What's your face got to do with anything?" Rory asked, confused.

The Doctor slapped his hand over his mouth. "Don't talk to me when I'm cross." He said impatiently. "I must use my frustration to find Amy."

Rory prised the Doctor's hand away from his mouth. "How on Earth—"

"Hush!" The Doctor commanded, and Rory closed his mouth, realising that it wasn't a good idea to annoy the Doctor any further.

They walked in silence for a few more minutes, before Rory had to speak up. "Doctor, you don't think Amy could be in danger do you?"

"Shut up."

From the purple glow of the torch, Rory could see the worry in the Doctor's eyes. "She is, isn't she?" He realised quietly.

The Doctor stopped and whirled around to face him. "I said, _shut up_!" He commanded furiously, and Rory shrank back from his anger.

"She's fine." The Doctor muttered, more to reassure himself than to comfort Rory. "She's fine. She's magnificent, bowtie-wearing Amy Pond. She's fine. I know she is."

Rory didn't say anything to that, knowing that if he expressed his doubt, he'd be the one sacrificed to the Bizzicles from the Doctor himself.

~I~

Finally, after more minutes of walking, the Doctor saw the exit to the tunnel, and he ran towards it. "I knew the tunnel went uphill!" He exclaimed as he headed towards the light, Rory right behind him. "And if I'm not mistaken, we'll have reached the trees."

Sure enough, when they emerged from the tunnel, they were amidst the trees.

"Is this where the Bizzicles normally are?" Rory whispered, gazing around anxiously.

The Doctor nodded as he tucked his torch away. "Yes, but they're not my priority at the moment. Amy is. We need to get back into the grass."

"Why don't we split up?" Rory asked, and once again, the Doctor shot down his suggestion.

"Don't be silly Rory. I've already lost one human, I refuse to lose another." He muttered darkly. "Now, let me find out where the direction of the grass is."

Before Rory could ask him how he was going to do that, the Doctor licked his finger and pointed to the sky. "Right, we need to head east." He affirmed, turning to his right.

They began to walk through the trees, and Rory thought of another question to ask the Doctor, a question that he could only ask him when they were alone. "Hey Doctor?"

The Doctor kept his eyes trained on the trees, but he answered him. "Yes?"

"When did you and Amy first get together?" He asked, and he noticed the Doctor's eyes widen slightly, clearly unprepared for that question.

Suddenly he grabbed his arm and pulled them both to a halt. "Now? You want to do this…_now_?"

"I have a right to know!" Rory replied indignantly.

"But you've met someone else, so why does this conversation even need to happen?"

"How did you know that? Does Amy know that?"

The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair and smiled sheepishly at him. "No, she doesn't know. I realised it after I arrived back in Leadworth to apologise to Amy. The emotion in your eyes wasn't love; it was more brotherly care. And then when you stumbled into Sharon's kitchen the other day, I saw some lipstick marks on your shirt."

Rory blushed scarlet, a colour that the Doctor didn't realise men could turn. "You don't miss a thing, do you?" He mumbled.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. For example, I'm missing Amy right now, so can we go and find her now please?"

Rory laughed, despite his embarrassment, and they began to walk again.

They were both content to walk in silence, except when they were both calling out for Amy.

There was no reply back from her though, and the Doctor grew more worried. "We're nearly at the grass now." He whispered to Rory. "She should have called back by now."

"Don't you have a gadget that will make our voices louder or something?" Rory asked in desperation.

"I do, but I don't want to alert the Bizzicles to our presence, at least, not until we're all together again." The Doctor replied, scanning the trees.

Suddenly, the Doctor heard a faint yell coming from his left, and he turned towards the noise. "Oi! Doctor! Are you out there? Doctor?"

Hope and relief surging through him, he began to race towards Amy's voice, Rory running after him. "Doctor? What is it? Have you heard something?"

The Doctor managed to find the place where Amy's voice was the loudest, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Amy?" He cried, looking frantically around him. "Can you hear me?"

"Of course I can bloody hear you! I'm next to you!" They heard her yell, and they both turned to look at the large tree beside them.

"Amy's in a tree?" Rory exclaimed, stunned. "How did she get in there?"

"A Bizzicle must have found her and used her as a sacrifice. Thank the ring of Saturn that they don't know that trees can't consume humans." The Doctor said, laughing despite the situation.

"Oi! Laugh later! Get me out of here now!" Amy commanded from inside of the bark.

Grinning, the Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the tree. He set the explosive button to a low level, and once he'd pressed the button, the front bark exploded off, effectively leaving Amy unhurt from the explosion.

She stumbled out of the tree, sticky from tree sap and her own blood, much to the Doctor's anguish.

"It's okay, one of them nipped me." She said airily, brushing away the injury on her neck. "Am I going to turn into one of them now? I've always wondered what it would be like to be blue, like a Smurf."

Rory laughed, but the Doctor's amusement had long gone at the sight of Amy's blood. He scanned her injury quickly with his screwdriver, and was relieved to see that she hadn't been infected.

"Oh no! Doctor, I got blood on your bowtie." Amy gasped, taking it off and staring at the bloody garment. "I'm so sorry!"

"Amy, don't be sorry." The Doctor whispered, kissing the top of her head. "When I find out what Bizzicle hurt you, I'll…I don't know…make them buy you another bowtie of something."

"You mean, make them buy _you_ a new bowtie." Amy teased, and finally, the Doctor allowed himself a laugh.

Suddenly, a familiar buzzing sound filled the silence, and Amy's eyes widened. "Doctor, they're back!" She cried, grabbing his hand. "We need to get out of here!"

The Doctor quickly agreed, and all three of them spun around and began to run towards the long grass.

But as they emerged from the forest, a large Bizzicle sprung up from the grass, and snatched the Doctor up from the ground, sinking one of its pincers into his neck.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews. I didn't reply to them, but I read and cherished each one. Your words inspire me to keep going :)**

**This chapter is dedicated to my Grandpa, who died four days ago. He was the only person in my family, other than my sisters, who knew that I wrote Fanfiction in my spare time. Grandpa, I miss you, and I love you. Thank you for everything. **

**His death has helped me with completing this story. I now have a plan of each chapter, and then a second mini-story that will be added on top of this one, about the Doctor and Amy in the future. So this fic in total will be between 60-70 chapters. I hope you all stay with me!**

The Doctor slipped into unconsciousness immediately, and Amy stifled a scream at the blood pouring out of the wound on his neck.

"What do we do?" Rory cried, backing away as the Bizzicle began to advance on them.

Amy looked around desperately, searching for a solution. "We're going to have to do what the Doctor does!" She yelled, snatching up a twig.

"And what's that?" Rory bellowed, his voice hysterical as the Bizzicle turned its attention towards him.

"Improvise!" Amy replied, gazing around for a tree that would be easy for her to climb. She spotted one fairly near to her, and she began to run towards it.

"What are you doing?" Rory cried. "Help me!"

Amy reached up and placed her hands in the grooves of the trees after she'd tucked the twig into her skirt pocket. "I am! Just give me a minute!"

"A minute? A minute to avoid being stabbed by this thing?" Rory hollered, ducking behind another tree.

"I need you to distract it for me!" She told him, pulling herself up the tree.

Rory threw himself to the ground as the Bizzicle swiped at the tree he was hiding behind, narrowly avoiding suffering the same fate as the Doctor. "Is this a good enough distraction?" He cried from the ground.

Amy managed to haul herself onto the first branch of the tree she was climbing, and she was relieved that it supported her weight. "Here goes nothing." She muttered.

The Bizzicle began to reach for Rory again, but it paused when Amy roared, "Oi! You! Big Blue Thing! Look at me!"

The Bizzicle cocked its head and gazed at her, almost questioningly.

Amy met its gaze evenly, being on the same level as it from her position in the tree. "You will release that man at once!" She commanded, pointing at the unconscious Doctor. "And you will leave the other man alone too!"

The Bizzicle blinked at her, and Amy decided to use her weapon. She pulled out the twig and waved it around the air. "I am the Goddess Hercules—"

"Hercules is a bloke!" Rory hissed from the ground.

"—The Goddes Herculesa." Amy amended. "Goddess of the Trees!"

Although the Bizzicle couldn't speak, it certainly seemed to understand what Amy was saying. It lowered the Doctor onto the ground, and sank into a crouch, obeying her at once.

"I have been revived from…" She paused and glanced down at her sticky outfit. "This tree sap, the elixir of…uh…the trees!"

She heard Rory snort, and glared down at him. "I'm saving your life, remember?" She snapped.

Turning her attention back to the Bizzicle, she showed it the twig she was holding. "I will give you my wand of…the…uh…oak tree, if you fly these men and I to the other side of the long grass, where my…umm…TARDIS Kingdom is!"

The Bizzicle nodded and leant over; allowing Amy to climb onto it's back. She glanced down at an amazed Rory, and yelled, "Get the Doctor then!"

Rory nodded quickly, and headed over to the Doctor. He heaved him to his feet, struggling to keep him upright, and began to walk over to the Bizzicle.

Once he'd reached it, Amy climbed down carefully to help him haul the Doctor onto it's back. When she was sure that the Doctor was lying comfortably, she patted the Bizzicle with her twig and announced, "Ready! Get flying my Bizzicle!"

The Bizzicle launched into the air, and Amy and Rory had to grip onto it to keep from falling off. "I see that you're enjoying your new power!" Rory yelled to her, grinning as he pulled himself to a sitting position.

"Hey, my new power just saved your life!" Amy reminded him, sitting up as well.

"True." Rory admitted. "And you saved the Doctor too."

Amy tenderly brushed the Doctor's hair back from his forehead and sighed. "I guess. But he still got hurt."

"So did you." Rory pointed out. "At least you both have matching injuries now. You were even nipped in the same place!"

"And we both have blood-soaked bowties as well." Amy laughed, shaking her head. "He's going to be so mad when he sees the state of his bowtie. The red one is his favourite."

"Does your wound hurt?" Rory asked anxiously. "It looks pretty deep."

Amy waved his worry away. "Nah, I can't even feel it."

"Even so, when we get back to the TARDIS, I want to cleanse it, and the Doctor's too." Rory told her sternly.

"Alright Mr Nurse, if you have to!" Amy chuckled. "And then we—oof!"

The Bizzicle suddenly landed on the ground, sending them both toppling to the ground. Before they hit the floor however, the Bizzicle caught them in one of its pincers and placed them down safely.

"Thanks very much!" Amy said cheerfully, patting the Bizzicle's pincer awkwardly. "Now, could you put the Doctor down as well?"

The Bizzicle reached back and picked up the Doctor, and Amy commented, "Even unconscious, he still manages to land safely," as the Bizzicle placed him onto the ground gently.

"You're a star." Amy grinned, offering the Bizzicle the twig. "Here's my wand. Use it carefully though!"

The Bizzicle took it carefully, and with a satisfied buzz, it took off into the sky.

Amy watched it go fondly. "You know, I kind of like the Bizzicles. Except the one that nipped me." She remarked, turning to face the TARDIS. "Now then, Rory, could you take the Doctor inside, and I'll get us out of here!"

"You know how to use the TARDIS?" Rory asked as he yanked the Doctor's form up from the floor. "Did the Doctor teach you how to fly it then?"

"Nope! But I'll figure it out!" Amy replied cheerfully, reaching into the Doctor's tweed pocket and pulling out the TARDIS key. "Where did he get that torch from?" She asked, seeing it inside of his jacket.

"Don't ask me. I asked him if he was Mary Poppins, but he didn't understand who I was talking about at first." Rory chuckled, following Amy into the TARDIS after she'd unlocked the doors.

Once inside, Amy raced up to the console, feeling like the Doctor. "No wonder the Doctor's so cheerful all of the time if he gets to fly this baby everyday!" She giggled, pressing some random buttons on the console.

Rory watched her warily as he lowered the Doctor onto one of the console chairs. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, you'll probably blow the TARDIS up."

Amy just laughed gleefully, and rubbed her hands together. "You're such a worry-wart! Don't worry, 'cause every little thing, is gonna be alright!" She sang, hitting another button.

Loud, classical music blared out, and Amy began to spin around the console. "Get the Doctor to wake up, I want someone to dance with!" She called to Rory, twirling around.

Rory crouched down beside the Doctor. "Wake up Doctor, Amy's gone mad." He whispered in his ear.

Suddenly the Doctor's eyes snapped open. "Blimey, that was one hell of a pincer!" He said, touching the wound on his neck and wincing.

"Doctor! Dance with me!" Amy chirped, grabbing his hands and yanking him out of his chair. "I need a partner!"

The Doctor was happy to oblige, and he began to twirl Amy around. "I guess she was infected after all!" He commented, unable to keep himself from smiling with her.

"Infected?" Rory asked worriedly. "But she doesn't seem to be in any pain."

"Bizzicle venom isn't dangerous, it merely enhances euphoria in someone, but only for a couple of hours." The Doctor replied, spinning Amy around faster.

Rory struggled to watch them, as their dance became a blur. "And you've been infected too?" He yelled over Amy's giggles.

"It would seem so!" The Doctor laughed.

"And it's not dangerous at all?" Rory checked.

The Doctor reached out and slammed a lever down on the console, making the TARDIS shake. "Not dangerous at all!" He cried happily.

The TARDIS shaking increased suddenly, and they all began to flail around. "This is so much fun!" Amy giggled as she crashed into one of the TARDIS chairs, the Doctor toppling right on top of her.

Rory, who had managed to keep himself upright, stared at them incredulously. The sight should have been funny; they were both covered in blood and cheering at the top of their lungs, but Rory didn't feel amused.

"Right. Well, I'm just going to leave you two alone." He muttered as he struggled up the TARDIS stairs.

"Don't you want to join the party?" Amy yelled to him, beginning to roll around on the floor.

"No, I'm going to go and read a book." He replied, looking at her strangely.

"A book?" The Doctor chortled, leaping to his feet and yanking Amy up with him. "Why don't you bring the book to the party?"

"Good idea!" Amy cried excitedly, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Rory shook his head and turned away from them. "Lunatics." He muttered.

Praying that they'd soon be back to normal, he left them doing handstands against the TARDIS wall.

~I~

A couple of hours later, the shaking stopped, and Rory put down his book. Hoping that the Doctor and Amy had returned to normal, he left his bedroom and walked down the corridor. Once he'd reached the top of the staircase, he peered down, stunned at the sight.

The TARDIS was covered in balloons and streamers, and food was splattered all over the walls and floor. Amy and the Doctor sat in the middle of the mess, their clothes torn and covered in what looked like icing. Both wore the same, confused expression.

When the Doctor saw Rory at the top of the stairs, he looked relieved. "Rory! Thank God you're here. Can you explain what happened to Amy and I please?"

Rory looked at them doubtfully as he descended down the TARDIS stairs. "You don't remember what happened?"

"I remember dancing with Amy, and then the rest of my mind is blank." The Doctor told him. "Why was the TARDIS shaking?"

"You pulled a lever, and then the TARDIS began to shake." Rory explained. "You were both doing handstands against the wall when I left you."

"I can do handstands? Magnificent!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"How long ago did you leave us?" Amy asked Rory curiously, wiping some icing from her face.

"About two hours ago." Rory replied.

"Two hours ago!" The Doctor exploded, staring in horror at him. "I was hoping you could fill us in on why there are food and decorations everywhere!"

"You were both talking about a party at some point before I left, if that helps." Rory told them, and the Doctor groaned.

"The TARDIS must have supplied us with the food and decorations then." He realised. "I bet she enjoyed watching us make a fool out of ourselves."

"How come you were infected a lot quicker than Amy was?" Rory asked him curiously.

"I'm a Time Lord, I react much quicker." The Doctor explained, wincing as he rose to his feet. "Now, I think I need a bath. I ache everywhere."

"I'll join you." Amy muttered as the Doctor helped her to her feet.

"You both look like you're recovering from a hangover." Rory remarked in amusement.

"I wish I had a hangover, what I have feels much worse." Amy groaned, following the Doctor up the stairs.

~I~

Once they were in the Doctor's bathroom, the Doctor turned on the bath taps, and he asked Amy to pass him a green bottle from the shelf above the sink.

"Mediana Massage Bubble bath and lotion." Amy quoted from the label of the bottle. "I just hope it works, my muscles ache so much."

"It does work, the Mediana Planet has the best bath treatment in the whole Universe." The Doctor told her, pouring the whole bottle into the bath.

"We should go there sometime." Amy commented, taking off her shirt. "I feel like going to—oh my God!"

"What?" The Doctor asked, though when he followed Amy's gaze, he saw what had her shocked. "Oops!"

Amy glared at him. "When did you do this?" She hissed, pointing at her right hip, where the words 'Property of the Doctor' were stamped onto her skin.

The Doctor shrugged helplessly. "Maybe when we were going loopy? That would explain why our clothes are ripped."

"We better hope that you didn't use permanent marker." Amy grumbled, easing herself into the bathtub.

"Why? I think the tattoo suits you." The Doctor teased, and Amy blew some bubbles at him.

Chuckling, he began to pull down his tattered trousers, before he let out a yelp.

"Don't tell me you have a tattoo as well!" Amy exclaimed.

The Doctor traced the lettering along his pelvic bone. "Amy Pond was here." He read, shaking his head. "Classy Pond."

Amy snorted as the Doctor joined her in the bath. "I could say the same about your message. I'm not a piece of property you know!"

The Doctor leant back against the tub, sighing in contentment. "I was only marking you as mine." He murmured to her.

Amy moved over to his side of the bath and settled between his legs. "In that case, you're forgiven." She chuckled softly. "Now, seeing as you were probably the one who got cake in my hair, could you wash it out for me?"

The Doctor agreed, and after Amy had dunked her head under the water, he began to massage some shampoo into her hair.

Amy closed her eyes and let out a long sigh, feeling better already.

~I~

After bathing, which took longer than they'd expected as they kept getting distracted, Amy and the Doctor tumbled out of the bathroom and into the Doctor's bedroom.

They were glad that the bathroom was an en-suite to the bedroom as they were both exhausted, and they fell into bed. The Doctor pulled the duvet over them, and encased in each other's arms, they drifted off to sleep.

They hadn't been sleeping for very long when Rory banged on the bedroom door, and they both woke up with a start.

"Rory, can you let us sleep please?" Amy groaned, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Amy, you need to get up!" Rory called back hysterically. "It's Sharon!"

Amy and the Doctor both sat up immediately, exchanging worried looks. The Doctor tossed Amy her dressing gown, and after slipping it on, she hurried to the bedroom door to pull it open.

"What about my Aunt?" She asked him anxiously, the Doctor joining her at the door.

"The Hospital just rang me…" Rory broke off, unable to continue.

Panicked, Amy grabbed the Doctor's hand. "What's happened?" She demanded, and the Doctor squeezed her hand tightly.

"Sharon's been in a car accident." Rory whispered. "She's in a coma, on life support…and the Hospital said that she won't wake up."

**I'm probably bringing my own experiences with my grandpa into this story by killing off Amy's aunt, but it's an important part of the story. Trust me.**

**Review, and I'll update this week. And that's a promise :) The sun is shining, I feel lighter than I have in days, so I plan to use this day to write some more of this story :)**

**Hayley x**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Thank you for all of your kind reviews. I have the best reviewers in the World :) **

**My wonderful reviewers: ****Anjirika****, DrWhoLover815, ****x-Pick'n'Mix-x****, Nat, ****missprofessorwho****, ****x-Pick'n'Mix-x****, ****, DaWhoGirl, ****KeepOnTryin****, ****LucyMaxine****, ****purplemagic150****, ****RosalieHale1997****, ****Elena Fisher****, ****twiaholic****, ****Katherine Moonhawk****, ****MayFairy****, ****porpoise-song****, ****Siodhna****, the scrub and ****JuliaAurelia****. **

**I feel much happier now, and part of that is thanks to you guys. The other thanks goes to my wonderful friends and family.**

**(I would have posted this chapter earlier, but something happened to my fanfiction account. I wasn't allowed to upload any chapters, but thankfully it's fixed now!)**

* * *

Once Rory had delivered the news about Sharon, he drew Amy into a hug. "I'm so sorry." He mumbled, embracing her tightly.

Amy stood there numbly, unable to return his hug. She didn't know how to react; her mind was overwhelmed by so many different emotions.

Rory drew back and looked at her worriedly. "Amy?" He whispered.

Amy just stared at him.

The Doctor decided to intervene then, and he placed his hand on Rory's shoulder. "Could you give us a minute?" He asked him quietly.

Rory glanced at Amy again before agreeing and leaving the room.

The Doctor turned to Amy, who was staring blankly at the bedroom door. "Amy?" He said gently, placing his hands on her cheeks and forcing her to meet his gaze. "Are you okay?"

Amy blinked, shaking herself out of her stupor. "How can you even ask me that?" She asked him despairingly, running her hand through her hair.

The Doctor kissed her forehead soothingly. "We should go and get dressed." He murmured, taking her hand. "Then we'll head to the hospital."

Amy nodded, her throat too constricted to speak, and the Doctor led her to the wardrobe. They dressed hurriedly, and the Doctor decided to forgo his bowtie and tweed jacket for once.

They met Rory in the console room afterwards, and Amy sank down onto one of the chairs, watching the Doctor fly the TARDIS to the hospital. Rory knelt beside her, and leant his head against her knees. The Doctor looked at them briefly, before returning his attention to the TARDIS controls.

"Are you okay?" Rory asked her, and then Amy snapped.

"Stop asking me that question!" She cried angrily, moving her legs away from Rory and curling up in the foetal position.

The Doctor glanced at them again, and wished he could go over to Amy and hold her. But his first priority was getting Amy to her Aunt, and to do that he had to stay focused on flying the TARDIS.

~I~

Ten minutes later, the Doctor had landed the TARDIS inside of a hospital store cupboard, which was conveniently placed beside Sharon's hospital room.

As soon as they'd landed, Amy rushed to the TARDIS doors and threw them open. The Doctor raced after her, Rory right on his heels.

However, the Doctor slowed down when he saw Amy open her Aunt's hospital room door, unsure whether she wanted to be alone or not.

But when Amy looked back at him, he saw how vulnerable she was, and he quickly joined her, slipping his hand into hers.

Hands tightly clasped, they entered the room together, Rory trailing in after them.

The Doctor had seen many things, but even he was stunned at the extent of Sharon's injuries.

She was lying unconscious on the hospital bed, various tubes sticking out of her skin. Her face was battered and swollen, and she was almost impossible to recognise.

At her Aunt's injuries, Amy let out a strangled cry, and the Doctor had to hold onto her to stop her from sinking to the floor.

"When did this happen?" He asked Rory as he led Amy over to the chair beside the bed.

"Three days after we left." Rory replied quietly, gazing sadly at Sharon. "It was a hit-and-run accident…there was nothing that Sharon could do to avoid from being knocked over."

As the Doctor lowered Amy onto the chair, she fisted her hands in his shirt. "Go back in time." She demanded frantically. "Save her for me. Please!"

The Doctor returned her gaze sadly. He knew that she'd ask him to save her Aunt at some point. "Amy, I can't." He whispered, resting one of his hands against her cheek.

"You can!" She insisted, looking up at him hopefully, and that expression broke the Doctor's hearts. "You can do anything! All you have to do is stop her from leaving the house."

The Doctor shook his head sadly. "Amy…"

"Please!" She begged, tightening her grip on his shirt.

"Amy, I'm sorry." He said quietly, placing his hands over hers, attempting to prise her hands away from his shirt. "I can't."

"Don't say that!" She cried, gazing up at him desperately. "Please Doctor, save her!"

"Amy." Now the Doctor's tone was final. "No."

Amy's face crumpled at his firm tone, and guilt flooded the Doctor's emotions at her forlorn expression. He reached out for her, wanting to comfort her, but she flinched when he touched her.

"Doctor. Don't." She whispered, avoiding his gaze. "I can't even _look_ at you right now."

Bowing his head, the Doctor began to walk towards the door, unable to stand the tension in the room.

"I wish I could run away from my problems like you can." Amy said bitterly, and Rory winced when the Doctor slammed the hospital door shut, the loud bang echoing around the room.

The noise made Amy jump, and she stared at the door anxiously, regretting her remark to the Doctor.

Rory took a cautious step towards her, but she turned her gaze on him, her eyes blazing with anger. "And you can join him!" She thundered. "Get out!"

She watched Rory leave, before turning her attention to her Aunt. She took her hand carefully, staring at the tube sticking out of her wrist.

The realisation that her Aunt was dying suddenly hit her, and she began to cry.

And then she couldn't stop.

~I~

Rory was worried that the Doctor had taken off in his TARDIS, so when he saw him sitting on the floor outside of the room, leaning against the wall, he was relieved.

"What are you doing down there?" He asked him in bewilderment.

The Doctor raised his head and gave him a bleak smile. "Running away." He muttered, before dropping his head in his hands.

Rory sat down beside him. "Amy didn't mean that. She's upset, that's all." He told him reassuringly. "People say stupid things when they're grieving."

"I know that, but she's right." The Doctor replied; his voice slightly muffled. "I always run away."

"I'm sure you don't." Rory said comfortingly, and the Doctor's head snapped up to stare at him incredulously.

"Rory, I just left Amy alone because I didn't know how to act around her. I think that's an example of running away from my problems!" He snapped.

Rory looked hurt by his remark, and the Doctor groaned and rubbed his face. "Sorry Rory, I didn't mean to shout. Bad day."

"It's okay, I understand." Rory sighed, leaning his head against the wall. "And Amy will understand why you left the room as well."

At the Doctor's doubt, Rory hastily added, "Everything will be okay. It's just like you said; Amy's a fighter. She'll be fine."

The Doctor allowed himself to be reassured, and he smiled at him. "Thanks Rory. You know, despite how awkward it should be between us, I'm glad you're here."

Rory chuckled. "You're welcome. But I'm not here out of choice; Amy kicked me out. I didn't really mind, I'd rather be out here than in there."

The Doctor's smile faded. "I wish I could save Sharon for Amy, but I can't."

"Why can't you go back in time and stop the accident from happening?" Rory asked him curiously. "You have a ship that can go anywhere, after all."

"I can't change events in Time. Everything happens for a reason." The Doctor paused and gave a hollow laugh. "If I could, the World would be a very different place."

Rory didn't reply, and at his silence, the Doctor grew worried. "Are you okay Rory?"

He blinked at him. "Me? I'm fine. It's Amy who's losing her Aunt, not me."

But the Doctor could see that he wasn't being entirely truthful. "But I know you cared a lot for her too." He said, and at his words, Rory broke down.

The Doctor was bewildered at the sight of Rory crying, and he didn't know what to do. So he settled for patting his arm awkwardly.

Rory saw the Doctor's uncomfortable expression then, and quickly wiped his tears away. "God, I feel like a loser right now. What sort of man cries?" He said, attempting to make a joke out of his misery.

"I cry." The Doctor said honestly. "Sometimes it's good to cry."

Rory nodded, before glancing down at the Doctor's hand. "You can stop patting my arm now." He told him, and the Doctor looked relieved.

"You know, I'm not the one that needs looking after." Rory remarked, gazing at the door to Sharon's hospital room. "You should go and comfort Amy."

The Doctor looked away. "She doesn't want me near her." He stated flatly.

"Doctor, since when have you ever listened to Amy?" Rory asked him, baffled. "Get in there right now!"

The Doctor gazed at him uncertainly, but after Rory's encouraging nudge, he rose to his feet and walked over to the door.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked softly, waiting for Amy to let him.

"Come in!" He heard her call, and he could tell that she'd been crying.

He opened the door slowly, but remained in the doorway. Amy glanced up, and the Doctor's hearts shattered at her tear-stained face. He hated seeing anyone he loved saddened by something as grave as this.

"Hey." He mumbled, hovering apprehensively in the doorway.

Amy's lips curved up into a soft smile. "Hey." She echoed.

"I'm sorry." They mumbled at the same time, and then they both laughed nervously, despite the situation they were in.

Amy rose from her chair, but before she could run to the Doctor, he was already beside her chair. She threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her just as tightly.

"It's okay, I'm here." He whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"What am I going to do Doctor? Apart from you, Sharon's the only family I have left." She sobbed, her tears falling onto the Doctor's shirt.

"What about your parents?"

Amy froze, and pulled back to gaze at him in confusion. "My…parents?"

The Doctor had been afraid of this. "Amy…where are your parents?"

Amy's eyes widened, and fresh tears welled up. "I don't…"

Suddenly a loud blaring sound erupted from the machine next to Sharon's bed, and they spun around. "Doctor, what's happening?" Amy asked him hysterically, her fingers digging painfully into the Doctor's skin.

"Amy, we need to leave." He whispered, beginning to pull her to the door.

"We can't leave!" She cried, struggling in his grasp. "Doctor, we have to help her!"

"Her heart's failing, we can't help her." He told her, just as Rory burst into the room.

"Doctor, you need to go! Take Amy out of here!" He commanded as he rushed over to the machine.

"I'm not leaving her!" Amy shrieked, thrashing about in the Doctor's arms. "We need to help her! Get off me!"

The Doctor managed to drag her out of the room, just as a couple of doctors hurried past them.

"Charge One-Eighty!" They heard Rory cry as the doctors joined him, and Amy's eyes widened in realisation.

"She…she…she's…" She stuttered, before trailing off, unable to continue. The Doctor used her shock to his advantage, and managed to pull her into the hospital storeroom.

As he opened the TARDIS doors, Amy began to fight again. "Get off me!" She screamed, trying to dig her heels into the floor. "I need to get to my Aunt!"

"Sorry." The Doctor whispered, shoving her inside of his ship. Amy tried to dash outside, but he used one arm to keep her back and the other to lock the doors with his screwdriver.

"No! No!" She wailed, banging on the locked doors. "Doctor, no!"

The Doctor left her at the doors, and walked up the stairs. He rested his hands on the console, and closed his eyes, listening to the sound of Amy's cries.

"Let me out! Please let me out! I need to get to Sharon! Doctor, please!"

Unable to take her pain any longer, he reached out and flicked down the green lever, taking them away from the hospital storeroom.

Amy whirled around at the sound of the TARDIS engines and stared at him. "What are you doing?" She demanded tearfully.

The Doctor met her gaze. "I'm sorry." He whispered again, pulling down another lever.

"Doctor, no! No!" Amy ran up to him and attempted to shove him away from the console, but the Doctor resisted.

She began to hit him, and the Doctor wrapped his arms tightly around her, more to comfort her than to restrain her.

Amy stopped and latched onto the collar of his shirt. "Doctor we can't just leave her!" She sobbed, gazing up at him distraughtly.

"Amy…I'm sorry." He murmured, rubbing her back soothingly.

She shook her head, refusing to accept the truth. "Doctor please…we have to help her!" She pleaded. "Please, we can still save her!"

"Amy, there's nothing we can do." He told her softly, moving his hands to cup her face.

Amy stared into his eyes, looking for a sign that he was lying to her, but she only saw sympathy reflected back at her.

She slumped in his arms then, and the Doctor gently scooped her into his arms and carried her over to one of the console chairs. He sank down, and Amy clung to him, crying on his shoulder.

He began to rock her back and forth, smoothing her hair back with his hand as she sobbed.

* * *

**Reading this back…this chapter is quite depressing. God, I'm sorry for the way this story is going. It will get lighter/funnier/fluffier soon, I promise.**

**I'll try and update by Wednesday :)**

**Love you guys…have a good weekend!**

**Hayley x**


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Two more sad/fluffy-ish chapters. Stay with me folks. The depressing chapters will be over soon, and then we'll move forward into Amy and the Doctor's life. And that's a promise.**

**I won't be able to update for a couple of days…I turn 18 on Friday and I plan to be drunk the whole weekend! ;D**

The Doctor rocked Amy back and forth until her tears eventually slowed. And even when she had stopped crying, she still clung to him. The Doctor was the only family she had now.

The Doctor realised that as well, and he vowed to himself that he'd never leave her again. After what she'd been through in the last few months, he knew that anything could shatter her.

She was more vulnerable than she'd like to admit.

The Doctor only hoped that she'd be able to recover from her Aunt's death.

Suddenly there was a knock on the TARDIS door, breaking them both from their thoughts.

"Who's that?" Amy asked hoarsely. "Are we still on Earth?"

"We're a couple of miles away from Leadworth." The Doctor replied, moving her carefully from his lap to stand up.

She looked up at him frantically, needing him, and he whispered, "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to see who it is."

He kissed her tenderly, and Amy gave him a small smile as he pulled away.

It took all of his strength to turn his back on her and walk down to the door. After looking back at Amy to ensure that she was going to stay in the chair and not try to get back to the hospital, he unlocked the door with his screwdriver and opened it to see Rory waiting outside.

"Hi." He greeted quietly, slipping inside.

"Hey Rory. Are you okay?" The Doctor asked him, shutting the doors behind him.

Rory sighed. "I think so. At least Sharon's not in pain anymore."

"She was too young to die." Amy whispered from behind them, and both men turned to look at her. Her eyes were brimming with tears again.

"I know." Rory agreed softly. "The other Doctors had to drag me away in the end, because I kept trying to revive her. I just couldn't accept that she was dead."

Amy's response caused Rory to think that perhaps that had been the wrong thing to say to her, for she clapped her hand over her mouth and bolted up the stairs.

The Doctor watched her go sadly, before turning to Rory. "I'm sorry for your loss." He told him, resting his hand on his shoulder.

Rory sighed again. "I'm sorry too." He muttered gloomily. "But I'm more worried about Amy than myself. After what she's been through recently…" He paused when he saw the Doctor's face crumple. "Not that I'm blaming you or anything." He added hastily.

The Doctor sat down on the steps and shook his head. "Rory, you're right to blame me. I will never forgive myself for what I did to her."

"I think that you should." Rory said firmly, and the Doctor looked up at him in surprise. "I'm serious. You can't feel sorry for yourself whilst Amy is grieving. It's not right, and you need to be there for her. Especially on Thursday, the day of Sharon's funeral."

The Doctor managed a small smile. "You're right Rory. I'm sorry."

Rory held up his hand. "Don't apologise Doctor. Just look after Amy while I'm gone."

"Gone?" The Doctor echoed. "Aren't you staying with us anymore?"

"No. Leadworth is where I should be, and I need to take care of Sharon's funeral arrangements. I don't think Amy can handle sorting out everything."

"Should we stay there with you?" The Doctor asked him. "I don't mind staying on Earth for the next couple of weeks."

"No. Amy only needs you at the moment." Rory told him. "Take her to the planet of happiness or something."

The Doctor gave him a wry smile. "I would if it existed."

Rory smiled back, before glancing at the stairs. "Do you mind if I say goodbye to Amy before I leave?" He asked nervously.

"Rory, you don't even need to ask! Of course you can!" The Doctor replied. "The TARDIS will take you to her."

Understanding that Rory wanted some privacy with Amy, the Doctor remained in the console room whilst Rory headed up the stairs to find her.

After Rory left, the Doctor rose from the stairs and went to stand beside the console. "How are we going to make Amy happy again?" He wondered to his ship.

The TARDIS sighed, and the Doctor let out a groan. "I guess you're as clueless as I am." He remarked glumly.

~I~

It didn't take Rory very long to find Amy; the TARDIS had led him straight to the Doctor's bedroom.

He knocked, and without waiting for a reply, he opened the door and stepped in. He found Amy curled up in the Doctor's bed, and he immediately headed over to her, tripping over the Doctor's clutter as he went.

Amy raised her head to see who was walking over, and Rory didn't miss the way she glanced behind him to see if the Doctor had walked in as well.

"Hi." Rory said awkwardly, crouching down beside the bed. "You alright?"

Amy frowned at him. "Yeah, I'm great. Life's a ball right now."

Rory sighed at his own stupidity. "Sorry. Stupid question." He muttered.

Amy glanced behind him again. "Where's the Doctor?"

"In the console room." Rory replied. "I only came up here to say goodbye."

Amy blinked at him, shocked. "You're leaving?" She whispered sadly, sitting up in the bed.

Rory rose as well and sat down beside her. "Leadworth's my home, not the TARDIS." He told her, taking her hand. "The trip with you both was fun, but it's not the life I could lead for very long. Besides, three's a crowd right?"

Amy's gaze fell to their entwined hands, before she glanced back at Rory's face. Then her eyes widened in realisation. "Do you have someone back in Leadworth, Rory Williams?" She hissed, her face brightening with excitement.

Rory was relieved to see her relatively happy, but that wasn't going to stop him from lying. "I don't know what you're talking about." He replied, carefully averting her gaze.

Amy squeezed his hand tightly, smiling. "Do you have a girlfriend mister?"

Rory remained silent.

"You _do_ have a girlfriend! Rory Williams has a girlfriend!" Amy sang, nudging him.

Finally, Rory relented. "I do have a girlfriend." He admitted.

Amy's smile became a beam. "So, what's she like? Blonde? Brunette?" She paused and raised her eyebrow at him. "Or is she a redhead like me?"

"She's blonde, petite, and two years younger than me." Rory said, grinning as he pictured his girlfriend in his head.

"Intriguing." Amy commented, still smiling. "What's her name? Do I know her?"

"Her name's Hannah. And no, you don't know her. She's only been in Leadworth a couple of weeks. She's an intern at the Hospital." Rory explained to her.

"I love her already!" Amy exclaimed. "When do I get to meet her? Soon, I hope!"

"You'll meet her on Thursday." Rory replied, his smile fading as he realised what day that would be.

"Why Thursday?"

Rory looked at her hesitantly. "Thursday is the day of Sharon's funeral." He told her gently.

Amy's good mood faded immediately. "Oh." She mumbled, releasing Rory's hand to rest her head in her hands.

Rory slipped his arm around her shoulders, and drew her into his side. "Amy, I'm sorry." He whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"Don't be sorry. I'm fine, really. You worry too much Williams." Amy replied, shrugging off his arm and poking his side. "You act just like a brother sometimes."

Rory's smile returned, and he nudged her with his arm. "Well, I love you like a sister, so I think the term 'brother' sort of fits."

"I love you too, big brother." Amy chuckled, nudging him back.

After Rory had jostled her again, he caught sight of the Doctor standing in the bedroom doorway, watching them with a small smile on his face.

"I better go." Rory said, and Amy sighed.

"I'll miss you." She mumbled, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you for always being there for me."

"You don't need to thank me." Rory replied affectionately, hugging her back just as tightly. "I'll miss you too."

Amy pulled back first. "Hey, could you get the Doctor before you leave?" She asked him.

Rory chuckled quietly. "No need. He's already here." He nodded to the doorway, and Amy followed his gaze.

When she saw the Doctor waiting by the door, her face lit up, and Rory had never seen her smile so brightly.

Knowing that was his cue to leave, he rose from the bed and walked over to the doorway. "Take care of her Doctor." He murmured, patting his shoulder.

The Doctor tore his eyes away from Amy and smiled at him. "I will. It's been a pleasure travelling with you Rory."

"Thank you, I had a great time." Rory replied, grinning as he recalled their adventure with the Bizzicles. "I'll see you both on Thursday."

As soon as Rory shut the door behind him, the Doctor walked over to Amy and perched beside her. He studied her smiling face curiously, before his own smile appeared at her current contentment.

After a few minutes of serene silence, Amy spoke. "I'm sorry for taking out my feelings on you earlier. I shouldn't have hit you like that." She whispered, pressing her hand against his cheek. "It wasn't right."

"You're forgiven. The bruises will heal over soon." The Doctor replied softly, placing his hands over hers.

"I guess people react to grief in different ways." Amy murmured, and the Doctor took both of her hands in his.

"Amy, I know that the next few days are going to be hard, but I'm here for you. If you need me, I'll be there. But if you don't, feel free to banish me to another room in the TARDIS. There's a prison cell around here somewhere."

Amy laughed despite herself, and she lay back on the bed, pulling the Doctor down with her. "A prison cell? Really?"

"The TARDIS locked me in it once. Her idea of a joke, you see. Especially because I'd left my screwdriver in another room." The Doctor told her, smiling at the memory.

"How did you get out?" Amy asked him, snuggling up against him to rest her head on his chest.

"A companion of mine, Donna, found me locked up a couple of minutes later. After laughing at me for a good ten minutes, she retrieved my screwdriver and let me out." The Doctor stopped to sigh wistfully. "She was a funny character, Donna."

Amy closed her eyes. "Tell me about her." She said sleepily.

The Doctor smiled regretfully. "Maybe some other time. The memory of her is still fresh…it still hurts." He murmured, running his fingers through her hair tenderly.

Amy didn't know the Doctor's history with Donna, but somehow she understood. She opened her eyes and reached for the Doctor's other hand to lace her fingers through his.

"We've both had to suffer to get to where we are now." She mumbled, closing her eyes again.

The Doctor didn't have to say anything to that, knowing how right she was. But despite the suffering and torment he'd been through, he was finally happy, having allowed himself to fall in love with someone and be loved in return.

And there was no greater feeling than that.

~I~

The Doctor and Amy spent the next couple of days in the TARDIS; neither of them ready to venture outside just yet. The presence of death still lingered in the air, and despite Amy's best efforts to put her grief behind her, she found herself crying at least twice every day.

Sometimes the Doctor was there to wipe away her tears, other times he stayed away from her if she wanted to be alone.

So the Doctor was relieved when Amy bounded into the library three days after her Aunt's death, her face alight with excitement.

"Doctor, can we go somewhere?" She asked him, gazing at him earnestly.

The Doctor snapped his book shut and laid it aside. "Of course we can. Do you have a destination in mind?"

"The 1980's." Amy replied immediately, bouncing forward and grabbing his hands. "Or more specifically, 1987."

She yanked him out of the chair, and the Doctor laughed, elated that she was ready to leave the TARDIS. "1987. Magnificent year. Which event would you like to see? There are so many! Let's see…the 'Sunflower' Van Gogh painting is bought for $39.85 million, the first ever heart-lung transplant takes place, and a man stays in space for 326 days of that year. Oh, and we mustn't forget the great storm of Eng—"

"Actually, I was thinking of another event." Amy interrupted. "A personal event."

The Doctor's smile faded instantly. "Personal?" He repeated warily. He had been afraid of this.

"1987 was the year that my Aunt got married. I thought we could go and watch it." Amy said, her eyes dancing with enthusiasm. "We don't have to talk to her or anything. I just want to see her happy, for one last time."

"Amy, no." The Doctor told her firmly, placing his hands on her shoulders. "We can't visit places in your timeline."

"But I wasn't even born then!" Amy protested. "Please Doctor!"

"Absolutely not. It would be too upsetting for you, and your Aunt can't see her future niece in an intimate setting like that."

Sorrow flooded Amy's features, and she backed away from the Doctor. "I just wanted to say goodbye." She whispered dejectedly.

"You have the funeral to say goodbye." The Doctor said gently, and Amy glared at him.

Before the Doctor could apologise for his brazen remark, Amy had stormed out of the library, her footsteps echoing loudly down the corridor.

The Doctor quickly raced after her, intent on catching up with her to apologise, but he was bewildered to see that he was in a corridor with no doors.

"Oh, I see. She asked you to hide herself from me and you agreed." He muttered to the TARDIS, kicking the wall angrily.

She hissed at him, and then he found himself flying through the air, landing with a loud thump in one of the chairs in the console room. "Alright, alright! No need to get pushy!" He grumbled, straightening his bow tie.

~I~

The Doctor didn't see Amy for the rest of the day, though he spent a good amount of time trying to locate her.

He eventually realised that Amy would come to him when she was ready, so he decided to travel to the Planet of the Xenic Warriors, where they were holding their annual meteor shower festival.

He left the TARDIS floating in the air above the planet, and sat down in the doorway, his legs dangling over the edge as he watched the meteors shatter into fireworks above his head. But the beautiful sight couldn't bring him out of his bad mood.

He didn't hear Amy come up behind him due to the loud explosions, so he nearly fell out of the ship in surprise when he felt her sit beside him.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were watching a firework show?" She asked him, taking his hand.

The Doctor looked down at their entwined hands before giving her a wry smile. "I couldn't find you to tell you."

Amy blushed and turned her gaze to the sky. "Oh yeah. Sorry about that. And I'm sorry for storming off earlier. You were right...I should let the past go now."

"It's going to be hard, but I know you can do it Amy." The Doctor said softly, raising her hand to his lips and kissing each of her fingertips.

"I know I can. I have you." She whispered, and their lips met just as another set of fireworks exploded in the air above them.

**I gave you a nice ending for all of the lovely reviews you left me :) Thank you! :D**

**Hayley x**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews and birthday messages! You'll be pleased to know that I wasn't sick, unlike the majority of my friends...amateurs ;D**

**And you'll also be pleased to know that this is the last 'depressing' chapter. Let the love and laughter commence! **

* * *

Sharon's funeral soon approached, and to the Doctor's relief, Amy finally felt ready to say goodbye to her Aunt.

On the day of the funeral, Amy and the Doctor dressed solemnly in black, and once again the Doctor chose not to wear a bowtie. Instead, he donned a black tie, and Amy smiled at the way he was showing respect to both her and her Aunt.

She took his hand, and the Doctor gave her an encouraging smile as they stepped out of the TARDIS into the village.

The funeral was being held at the Leadworth Church, and Sharon was to be buried in the graveyard next to it.

Since Amy didn't have any family, she didn't think there'd be many people attending, so she was stunned when they walked into the Church to see most of the village seated in the pews.

As they walked down the aisle towards the front, the Doctor became aware of the stares they were attracting. Not many people had believed that he'd existed, and they'd never even thought that Amy would end up in love with him, so there was a lot of whispering about them.

Fortunately Amy didn't hear them, her attention was solely focused on the closed casket just in front of them, which held her Aunt.

When they reached the front, Rory rose and gestured for them to join him at the first pew. As they approached, Amy saw an anxious-looking woman standing beside him, and she knew that she was Rory's new girlfriend, Hannah.

Rory drew Amy into a hug, and she returned it gratefully, needing the support of the people she loved. The Doctor noticed instantly that the whispers had gotten louder, and he looked sharply behind him, effectively silencing the gossiping.

He returned his attention to Rory when he felt him hug him, and they patted each other on the back before pulling away from each other.

"Amy, Doctor, I'd like you both to meet Hannah." Rory told them quietly, also aware of the people staring at them, and he slid his arm around his girlfriend's waist.

The Doctor let Amy greet her first, and she grasped her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you Hannah. I've heard a lot about you."

Hannah laughed softly and returned her handshake. "Only good things, I hope. It's nice to meet you too Amy."

She turned to the Doctor then, and he grasped her outstretched hand. "It's great to meet you Hannah, though I wish we could have met in a different situation."

"I agree." Hannah replied, smiling wryly. "I'm so sorry for your loss. I wish I could have met Sharon, she sounded like a wonderful person."

"She was." Amy murmured softly, her eyes shining with tears, though she was smiling. "Thank you Hannah."

The priest interrupted their introductions then by stepping behind the podium, and the four of them sat down for the service, Amy clutching the Doctor's hand tightly.

~I~

The service was short; something Amy was thankful for, as she knew how much her Aunt had hated long ceremonies. Rory stood at the front to speak about Sharon at one point, and Amy kissed his cheek when he sat back down, grateful that he had spoken when she was too upset to.

After the ceremony, Rory, Jeff and a couple more of their male friends made their way over to the coffin to carry it out of the Church.

Amy gazed at them for a minute, before turning to the Doctor. "Doctor, would you be a pallbearer?" She asked him.

The Doctor looked stunned at her request. "Are you sure? Don't you want me to stay here with you?"

Amy smiled at him. "I'll be fine. I think it's right for you to help carry her coffin. Sharon liked you, you know." She broke off and drew in a shaky breath. "I just wish you'd gotten to know each other better." She whispered, and the Doctor wiped away the lone tear that had begun to slide down her face.

"In that case, it would be an honour to carry her." He replied quietly, kissing her forehead.

Amy watched him stand behind Rory, and felt a couple more tears escaping at seeing the two men she loved carrying her Aunt.

She followed the funeral procession to the burial ground, and when she saw the engraving on her Aunt's tombstone, she smiled through her tears. Rory had done a perfect job.

Sharon Vidler

1968-2010

Beloved Aunt and Friend

Her love will shine on forever.

Having lowered the coffin, the Doctor returned to his place beside Amy. He slid his arm around her shoulders, and Amy wrapped both of her arms around his waist. "Thank you for being here for me today." She murmured, tilting her head to smile at him.

"You don't need to thank me. I promised you that I'd always be there for you." He whispered back, and he kissed the tip of her nose gently.

"Still, I'm surprised you haven't run away screaming yet. I know I haven't been myself recently." She mumbled, lowering her eyes to the ground. "And I'm sorry for that."

"Amy, I love you, and I'll never leave you again." The Doctor told her softly, taking hold of a stray tendril of hair that had fallen out of Amy's bun and hooking it behind her ear.

Amy smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, and they remained in that position for the duration of the burial service. They only separated when Amy stepped up to the tombstone and threw one white rose onto the coffin, though the Doctor stayed closely behind her.

Rory joined her then, and with the shovel he was holding, began to scoop up dirt to throw down onto the coffin. The Doctor stepped up to join them, and he took hold of the shovel that the priest offered him.

Hannah walked over to Amy, and tentatively placed her arm around her. Amy was grateful for the comfort, and together, they watched their men lay Sharon to rest.

~I~

After Sharon's coffin was buried, Amy and Rory found themselves surrounded by people who offered them their condolences. The Doctor and Hannah moved aside and watched their partners, and the only time that the Doctor stepped in was when he caught one of the elderly residents complaining that Amy and Rory had moved on too quickly.

The Doctor had stormed over, and he promptly told her to mind her own business. Needless to say, he didn't hear anymore whispering about him or the others for the rest of the day. None of the locals wanted to test his patience on a day like this.

Finally, everyone left, leaving Rory, Hannah, Amy and the Doctor alone in the graveyard.

Allowing Rory and Amy privacy to say goodbye to each other, Hannah offered to show the Doctor more of the church, and he took her up on the offer.

Once they'd disappeared from sight, Amy spoke. "Rory, thank you for doing this for me today. I know Sharon would have loved the sending-off."

Rory smiled and took her hands. "You're welcome. I was happy to do this." He paused, and gazed at her hesitantly. "Amy, there's something you should know."

"What is it?" She asked anxiously, thinking the worst.

Rory gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, it's nothing bad. It's just that Sharon left a will. Amy, you've inherited her house, and all of her assets. You've also inherited over £20,000."

Amy looked away. "I don't need the money." She said flatly. "You have it."

"Amy, I can't do that!" Rory exclaimed, shaking his head. "It's yours. Anyway, Sharon left me my own money."

"Have the house then. I have a home already."

Rory looked at her in bewilderment. "I'm not going to take your house from you! Look, I'll look after it for you whilst you're gone, if you like. Who knows, maybe you'll be back one day with a handful of kids? Then you'll need the house."

Amy had to smile at that image, imagining a group of redheaded children running around in the garden with bowties on. "Thanks Rory. For agreeing to look after the house and for sorting out today…actually, thank you for everything."

Rory drew her into a hug, and they held each other until the Doctor and Hannah returned, both of them laughing about a nude Church in America.

The Doctor saw Amy nod at him, and knew she was ready to leave Leadworth behind. As Hannah and Amy said their goodbyes, he turned to Rory.

"You know, there's always an invitation for you and Hannah to travel with us, anytime you like." He told him, grinning.

Rory grinned back. "Thanks Doctor. We may take you up on that offer some day."

The Doctor's eyes began to sparkle with mischief. "Actually, I was offering it to you as more of a wedding present."

Rory began to splutter, and the Doctor slapped his back. "I know the future Rory." He whispered in his ear, aware that Hannah and Amy were watching them curiously.

Rory stared at him incredulously, and the Doctor took that as his cue to leave. He hugged Hannah and after winking at Rory, took Amy's hand and began to lead her away from the Church.

"What did you say to Rory before we left?" Amy asked him, swinging their entwined hands as they walked.

The Doctor was happy that she was in a lighter mood than what she'd been in all week, but he wasn't about to tell her what he'd said. "I can't tell you that Pond. It's a guy thing. You know how it is."

Amy raised her eyebrows at him. "I swear you two are going to start a bromance." She commented, and she laughed at the Doctor's confused face.

"I'd ask you what that meant, but I'm afraid of the answer." The Doctor muttered as he unlocked the TARDIS door.

"You shouldn't be. It only means a close, non-sexual relatonship between two male friends." Amy answered as they walked inside of the ship.

The Doctor released her hand and bounded up the stairs to the console. "I don't like the way you mentioned that it was a non-sexual relationship. It's almost like you were implying that I play for the other side, so to speak."

"You can say the word 'gay' Doctor." Amy giggled, racing up the stairs after him. "You are allowed."

"Amy, the first definition of the word 'gay' meant happy and I still stand by that definition." The Doctor said firmly. "Therefore, the term I used is better-suited."

"This whole conversation is completely unnecessary anyway, because I didn't actually imply that you were gay." Amy told him, and the Doctor spun around to face her.

"You should know if I was, especially seeing as you are most definitely not a man." The Doctor remarked, striding towards her, a predatory expression on his face.

Amy had seen that look before, and she let out a squeal as she ran up the staircase away from him. "How would you know if I wasn't?" She asked him playfully, and the Doctor tore up the stairs after her.

"I would just know." He murmured as he captured her in his arms and pulled her into his bedroom. "Especially because of what's about to happen."

Laughing, Amy reached out and slammed the door shut behind them.

~I~

Things soon went back to normal in the TARDIS. The sombre mood that had befallen upon both Amy and the Doctor was quickly erased by their laughter and love, and their lives were happy again.

Until Amy sidled into the Doctor's bedroom a week after the funeral, wringing her hands anxiously.

The Doctor, who was sitting on the loveseat beside his bed, glanced up when he heard the bedroom door open, and immediately put the book he was reading aside. "Are you okay Amy?" He asked her, concerned by her troubled expression.

Amy nodded hastily. "I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you, that's all."

Nothing good ever came out of hearing those words. The Doctor swallowed and patted the space next to him nervously. "Oh. Right. Well. Sit Down."

Amy sat down beside him, and then smiled at his worried gaze. "Don't worry, I'm not leaving you or anything."

The Doctor relaxed immediately. "That's a relief!" He said cheerfully. "I got worried then."

"I just wanted to talk to you about…well, you." Amy told him, and to her surprise, the Doctor's face hardened.

"There's nothing you need to know about me." He stated flatly, turning away from her.

"I knew you'd be like that." He heard Amy mutter, and he glared at her. "Don't look at me like that! It's true! I have a right to know about you."

"Why?" The Doctor demanded. "You know enough about me. I'm 907 years old, I'm a Time-Lord from Galifrey, my family is dead, and my favourite dish is fish fingers and custard. There."

"But there's so much more that I don't know." Amy said stubbornly. "You know everything about me, even more than I know about myself! I need to know about your life too."

The Doctor remained silent.

Amy took his hand, and she felt him relax slightly from her touch. "Look." She whispered. "I know that your memories are painful. But you're the man that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. I need to know more about you."

The Doctor looked at her then, and Amy was surprised at the pain in his eyes. "Amy, I've never shared my memories with anyone. I don't know if I can show you everything."

"Just show me enough." She told him gently, squeezing his fingers gently. "When you've had enough, stop."

The Doctor thought about it for another minute, before realising she was right. "Where do you want me to start?" He asked her quietly, smiling wryly. "There's a lot."

"Start from just before you met me. You were wearing ragged clothes. Why?"

"Oh yes, I was your raggedy Doctor." The Doctor recalled, smiling fondly at the memory.

"You're still my raggedy Doctor." Amy corrected him.

The Doctor placed his fingers on her temples, and they both closed their eyes. "Ready?" He whispered.

"Ready."

Amy had been inside the Doctor's head before, when he showed her the timeline of the Heartreeps, but seeing his memories was a different experience entirely. First, she found herself standing in her back garden, watching herself as a little girl talking to the Doctor.

And then time zoomed backwards, and Amy found herself flying from memory to memory, watching the Doctor regenerate and saying goodbye to his friends. She could hear the Doctor begin to cry in reality, pained from reliving his past regeneration's memories, and she reached out blindly to comfort him, managing to rest her hand on his shoulder.

She saw a redhead next, a redhead who clearly meant a lot to the Doctor. She watched his tenth regeneration laugh and argue with her, and found out her name. Donna.

And then she saw Donna as half of a Time Lord, and Amy watched in horror as Donna lost her memories.

Suddenly Amy was pulled from the Doctor's mind, and she opened her eyes to see the Doctor's tear-stained face.

"You had some good times with her." She commented, hoping to cheer him up. "Not everyone gets to meet Agatha Christie or experience the fires of Pompeii."

The Doctor laughed hollowly, wiping away his tears. "Amy, you saw what happened! I _was_ the cause of the eruption of Pompeii! I had to make a choice, and I killed over 30,000 people."

"Yes, but you went back to save a family!" Amy reminded him, cupping his face gently with her hands.

Another tear fell from the Doctor's eyes. "That doesn't mean anything. I'm still a monster."

"Don't you dare say that!" Amy hissed fiercely. "You're not a monster!"

The Doctor shook his head, and before he could argue, Amy continued. "You're a good person Doctor. A great person. And I love you. There are other people that love you too."

"But I have more enemies than friends." He whispered, looking away from her.

"Who needs lots of friends?" Amy demanded, forcing the Doctor to look back at her. "I didn't have any when I was growing up, and I still don't have very many. You only need to love a few people for them to make a difference to your life. And you've made a huge difference to my life Doctor."

"Thank you Amy. That means a lot to me." He murmured, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "Do you want to see some more memories?"

Amy nodded, and the Doctor pressed his fingers to her temples. He closed his eyes again, and Amy's eyes snapped shut as more of the Doctor's life flashed before her eyes.

An image of a young, blonde woman appeared in her head next, and Amy watched her share some intense and romantic moments with his previous regeneration. Amy knew immediately that this was the love of his tenth regeneration. Rose.

Amy could hear that the Doctor's sobbing was getting louder, and she watched him say goodbye to Rose on a beach, a beach that was called 'Bad Wolf Bay.'

All of a sudden, Amy was watching the Doctor's childhood, and she saw a young boy running down a mountain under an orange sky. The Doctor's voice echoed in her mind as they watched the memory together.

"Galifrey. The Shining World of the Seven Systems. My home. When I was a little boy, we lived in a house that was perched halfway up this mountain. I was running down here to collect rocks. They weren't grey on my planet. They were red, and purple, and gold. My home was beautiful. The snow shone in the sunlight, and the silver-leaved trees looked like a forest on fire…"

When the Doctor's voice trailed off, Amy saw the planet burning. Dead bodies and blood filled her mind, and over the sound of screaming, she heard the faint noise of a TARDIS as it flew away.

And then Amy realised it was the Doctor's TARDIS.

The Doctor had run away.

She lost the connection then, and she opened her eyes to see tears streaming down the Doctor's face.

"I'm sorry that you lost your home." Amy whispered, drawing him into her embrace. "I'm so sorry."

The Doctor buried his face in her neck, loud sobs wracking through his body. He clung to Amy, needing to hold onto her, unable to show her more of his past without her comfort.

Amy simply held him, and rocked him back and forth, like she was holding a child. She stroked his hair and murmured reassuringly to him, and the Doctor's tears gradually slowed.

"You don't need to show me anymore." She whispered to him, her own voice hoarse with unshed tears. "I've seen enough."

The Doctor wanted to argue, knowing that there was still so much to show her, but he was too upset by his own memories. He'd never shown anyone the extent of what he'd been through, and after revealing his experiences to Amy; he was more hurt than he'd thought he would be.

Eventually, Amy led him over to his bed, and they lay down together, arms wrapped tightly around each other. Amy stroked his face, his hair, his back, anything that would show him that she was there for him.

The Doctor drew her closer to him, needing to feel her more of her. He kept his head buried against her neck, afraid to meet her gaze, knowing that she'd be even more concerned if she saw the raw pain in his eyes.

They lay quietly for a few moments, before Amy pulled back to meet the Doctor's eyes. He closed his eyes quickly, unwilling to reveal anymore of his emotions to her, but he couldn't stop the tears from leaking out from under his eyelids.

Amy studied his face carefully, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and the small crease between his eyebrows. She touched his forehead gently, and the Doctor's slight frown eased away.

Amy then ran her finger over the Doctor's cheekbones, wiping anyway his tears, and the Doctor sighed as he felt the tension begin to leave his body.

Reaching up, he grabbed Amy's hand and pressed it to his lips. He opened his eyes, and Amy could feel herself tearing up at the grief in them.

The Doctor glanced down at their entwined hands, and began to trace the lines on her hand with his finger. Amy watched him carefully, looking for any more signs of distress, only to be relieved when she watched the Doctor's tears stop completely.

The Doctor pressed the back of her hand to his lips again, and Amy smiled softly at him. "I love you." She whispered, placing her other hand against his cheek.

Amy's smile widened when the Doctor managed to smile back at her, and she leaned forward to kiss him gently.

The Doctor's eyes fluttered closed, and he sighed again, this time in contentment. "Amy Pond." He murmured. "What would I do without you?"

Amy rested her head on his chest, still gripping his hand tightly. "I don't know. But I do know that I'd be lost without you." She replied quietly, tilting her head to press her lips to his jaw.

That wasn't enough for the Doctor and he sat up, pulling her up with him. Amy glanced at him in confusion, and the Doctor pressed his lips to hers fiercely, overcome with emotion and need. He could feel Amy's surprise, but it didn't take her long to respond, and she kissed him back with as much passion.

His lips were warm and soft as they moved against hers, and Amy could feel the tears on his cheeks when she reached up and traced the planes of his face with her fingertips.

The Doctor's hands roamed over her soft curves, and Amy shivered. She slid her hands into his hair and massaged his scalp gently, and now it was the Doctor's turn to shudder.

They both broke apart to breathe, but the Doctor's lips remained attached to his skin, and he trailed kisses across her jaw line until he reached her ear. "I love you Amy." He whispered to her, his hands reaching up to cradle her face. "I love you so much."

* * *

**The last part of the chapter may seem a bit random: it is. It just sort of...came out as I was writing, but I liked it, so I kept it in, haha.**

**Chapter 38 is Amy's 22nd birthday...who wants to guess what the Doctor has bought her? ;D**

**Hayley x**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Can someone tell me what has happened to some of the DW stories I have favourited? They have stopped being updated...this makes me very sad :( **

**Anywayssss, I promise to keep this one updated as regularly as I can. With only three weeks of school left EVER, and a long summer before University, I can promise that this story will be updated all of the time. **

**Enjoy Amy's birthday!**

* * *

The Doctor was excited. More so than usual.

Today was Amy Pond's 22nd Birthday…not that she knew that. Time passed differently inside of the TARDIS, but fortunately the Doctor had been watching her body clock.

Amy was asleep at the moment, recovering from their last adventure, which had involved running away from a Cyclops. Or rather, a large group of them. The Doctor had only asked them if they could see well out of their one eye, but that had offended them, and they'd ended up running for their lives.

The Doctor had decided that he'd never ask a creature about their eyes again. Or about any of their facial features, for that matter.

The TARDIS hummed then, shaking the Doctor from his thoughts. Grinning, he placed his hand on the console. "Don't worry, if Amy's not awake in five minutes, I'll wake her up." He told his ship.

_You better._

The Doctor laughed and turned his head to gaze at the balloons and banners that were floating around the console room. "Of course I will. Can't have all of these decorations going to waste, can I?"

He turned his attention back to the console and fiddled around with the scanner until it showed him the swimming pool. "I can't wait till she sees her presents." He exclaimed happily, gazing at them. "I think I deserve the title of best present-giver _ever_."

"Did someone say presents?" He heard Amy yawn from behind him, and he hurriedly switched the scanner off.

Spinning around, he caught sight of her at the top of the console stairs, and judging from her bleary expression, she hadn't spotted the decorations yet. "Presents?" The Doctor repeated, grinning. "Did I mention those?"

Amy ignored him. "Who'd you buy presents for?" She asked, running her hands through her tousled hair. "I hope it's me, I think I deserve them for what you put me through earlier. It's not everyday a bloody Cyclops gang tries to kill us."

"Actually, they were only trying to kill me, but no matter, that's not important right now." He threw his arms out, a beam spreading across his face. "Happy birthday Pond!"

Amy blinked at him. "What?"

The Doctor hit a button on the TARDIS console, and the 'Happy Birthday' song blared out. "It's your 22nd birthday today!" He yelled over the loud music.

Amy stared around at the decorations, a smile lighting up her face. "Happy Birthday to me!" She sang, singing along with the music. "Happy Birthday to me!"

When the song ended, she bounded down the stairs into the Doctor's waiting arms. "I won't ask how you knew it was my birthday." She laughed, hugging him tightly. "All I care about is my presents!"

The Doctor pulled away and tapped her lightly on the nose. "Patience Pond! We have to do a few things before you get them."

Amy pouted, and normally the Doctor couldn't resist her when she did that, but this time he remained firm. "That won't work this time Amy." He told her, laughing when she scowled at him. "Today may be your day, but I have plans for you that I have no intention of changing. So, as you would say, get over it!"

Amy's scowl returned, but faded instantly at the Doctor's next words. "So, I'm off to make you a bubble bath, and whilst you are relaxing, I'm going to make you breakfast. That could turn out to be a disaster, so you have to stay in the bath for at least an hour." He paused and reflected upon the last time he cooked, when it had taken him two hours to make an edible casserole. "Or maybe longer than that." He added.

Amy threw her arms around his neck. "You're amazing!" She told him, beaming excitedly.

"That's nothing." The Doctor said happily. "Wait till you find out where I'm taking you later. Oh, and let's not forget your birthday presents!"

"I love you!" She exclaimed, and she planted a kiss on his lips. "Now, let's go to the bathroom!"

She raced up the stairs, and the Doctor quickly followed her, patting the breast pocket of his tweed jacket as he walked. The gift hidden in there was for another time.

~I~

After Amy had bathed and eaten breakfast, (that surprisingly was very good), the Doctor took her into the poolroom, after he'd blindfolded her.

"Why is this necessary?" Amy grumbled, tugging on the cloth covering her eyes. "I can just close my eyes!"

"Amy, I know you too well. You'll just open your eyes when you think I'm not looking." The Doctor replied, guiding her over to the edge of the swimming pool. "Besides, I want you to guess what this is."

"Guess what?" Amy repeated in confusion, though her question was answered when the Doctor placed her hand on something smooth, and wet.

"What do you think you're touching?" The Doctor asked her, grinning.

Amy moved her hand over what she was touching. "Scales? They feel familiar."

And then she heard a familiar sound: the sound of the Heartreep.

Squealing, she tore off her blindfold and saw two baby Heartreeps in the swimming pool, both gazing up at her.

They were just as beautiful as she'd remembered.

Not caring that she'd just bathed, she stuck her hand into the water and allowed the Heartreeps to yank her into the pool.

The Doctor removed his tweed jacket and allowed the Heartreeps to pull him in too. When he swum back to the surface, Amy threw herself at him, beaming.

"You bought me Heartreeps for my birthday!" She exclaimed, grabbing his face in her hands and kissing him fiercely.

The Doctor laughed against her lips, and then pulled away when he felt one of the Heartreeps nudge him. "I'm glad that you like them, though I should warn you that they're rather clingy when they're young."

"Aw, do you love me already?" Amy cooed to the Heartreeps, releasing the Doctor to wrap her arms around them. They nuzzled their faces against hers, and she laughed as their scales tickled her skin.

The Doctor watched them for a minute, beaming, before swimming over to the edge of the pool and climbing out. He picked up his tweed jacket and rummaged through one of the outer pockets, searching for Amy's other present.

Once he found it, he hid it behind his back and crouched down beside the pool. Amy glanced up from playing with the Heartreeps and realised that he had something behind his back, and she swum over to the edge of the pool.

"What have you got there?" She asked him curiously, her eyes twinkling playfully. "Another present?"

Grinning, the Doctor showed her what he had in his palm. A key on a chain.

Amy's eyes widened. "Is that a key to the TARDIS?"

"Yes, and it's yours. I should have given it to you a long time ago." The Doctor told her, smiling. "Turn around."

Amy did as he said, and the Doctor placed the chain around her neck. "Perfect." He whispered softly, and Amy spun around to face him again.

She pulled him back into the pool, and as soon as he was in the water, she wrapped herself around him. "This has been the best birthday ever!" She giggled, resting her forehead against his. "Thank you!"

"I take it that you like the presents I got you." The Doctor commented, slipping his arms around her waist.

"Like? Don't you mean 'love'?" Amy corrected him. "But where did you get the baby Heartreeps from?"

"I went back to the Fountain of Hartraphilia and their mothers allowed me to take them away. They could sense that the end was coming for them…it was the day before the hunters killed all of them." The Doctor replied, shaking his head sadly. "These are the only two Heartreeps left in the Universe."

"And they're ours." Amy said, beaming. "It's horrible what happened to the others, but I'm glad you saved two of them."

"I made sure that I got one male and one female, so they could create more Heartreeps." The Doctor admitted. "After what happened when we were there…I couldn't bear to let the species die out completely."

"That's really kind of you." Amy told him, and she kissed his cheek. "You're a good man."

The old Doctor would have disagreed or ignored her remark, but the new Doctor thanked her and kissed her tenderly.

Ever since he'd shown her his life, he was beginning to realise that he wasn't the monster that he thought he was. Maybe he was good after all.

~I~

Amy and the Doctor played with the Heartreeps for a couple of hours, before the Doctor told her that he had somewhere to take her. They shared a quick shower and dressed hurriedly, both of them excited about their trip, though Amy had no idea where they were going.

But the Doctor never disappointed her with destinations, so Amy knew that wherever they were going, it was going to be amazing.

"Right then Pond," The Doctor exclaimed, gazing at Amy from the other side of the console, "How do you feel about watching a Millennium Celebration?"

Amy's eyes widened in wonder. "The Earth's Millennium?"

"Of course! 2000 was the beginning of a new era for Planet Earth, and it certainly began with a bang!" The Doctor replied happily, flicking a few switches on the TARDIS console. "Now, the question is, where do you want to go to watch the celebrations?"

"I have no idea." Amy admitted, giving him a sheepish smile. "What are the options?"

The Doctor rubbed his hands together gleefully, thrilled at the opportunity of showing off more of his knowledge to her. "New York is a good one. The Americans celebrated with balloons, fireworks and 80's music. London put on a brilliant firework display, and so did Moscow, but at the time it was freezing, so I don't think that's a good option. Sydney is a great option too; they actually made Harbour Bridge smile. The display was truly magnificent. Paris —"

"New York. Let's go to New York." Amy interrupted, knowing that he could ramble on forever if she didn't stop him.

The Doctor's hand hovered over the green lever on the console. "Are you sure?"

Amy grinned at him through the central column. "Absolutely. I saw some of the celebrations on TV when I was younger, and New York looked like one big party. And you know how much I love parties!"

"New York it is!" The Doctor announced. "Pull that orange lever down, will you? And then align the zigzag plotter until it's at a right angle to the lever."

Amy gave him a strange look, but did as he said. "Why are you letting me help you fly the TARDIS?" She asked him suspiciously. "I thought you didn't like anyone touching the console but you."

"I don't." The Doctor replied simply, moving away from his side of the console to stand beside Amy. "But it's your birthday, which is a special occasion, so I made an exception."

Amy's eyes glinted playfully. "Are there any other exceptions?"

"Nope. I'm not _that_ nice." The Doctor commented, adjusting the position of the zigzag plotter.

Amy slapped his hand away from the plotter. "Hey! Why are you moving it again? I am capable, you know!"

"Not really. It was one-point three degrees out." The Doctor told her. "You were standing in the wrong position."

"Now you tell me." Amy muttered, rolling her eyes. "Are we in New York yet?"

The Doctor didn't need to say anything, for the moment after Amy had spoken; they both felt the TARDIS land.

"Stupid question." Amy chuckled, catching the jacket that the Doctor threw at her. "I hope you've parked us right in the middle of Times Square!"

"I wouldn't have parked anywhere else." The Doctor remarked, rushing to the TARDIS doors to pull them open. "Now, if my calculations are correct, we've arrived just in time for the best song of the night."

Amy joined him at the doors, and stared in awe at the glittering buildings of Times Square, lit-up and covered in decorations.

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS into the crowds of Americans, and Amy was surprised that no one had reacted to a blue police box appearing out of nowhere in the middle of the festivities.

"Everyone's too drunk to notice us." The Doctor said, seeing her surprise, "Now, do you feel like joining the party?"

"Do you even need to ask?" She giggled, taking the Doctor's hand and allowing him to pull her into the dancing crowds, just as the opening chords of the 'YMCA' began to play.

"The 'YMCA' is the best song of the night?" She yelled to him over the cheers of the drunken crowd. "You really need to change your taste in music."

The Doctor began to bounce up and down on the balls of his feet, in time with the music. "What? It's a classic song! Fits the scene perfectly!" He yelled back, releasing her hand to wave both of his arms in the air. "Go wild Pond!"

Amy eyed the Doctor's mad dancing doubtfully, before throwing her own arms in the air. _If you can't beat him, join him._

"And now for the balloons!" The Doctor cried cheerfully, pointing up at the sky as thousands of them began to flood over the crowd.

Amy managed to catch one, and she threw it at the Doctor's head, laughing at his bewildered expression. "Gotcha!" She told him happily, just as multi-coloured confetti began to pour over them.

The Doctor laughed and began to pluck the confetti out of her hair, before realising it was a useless action. There was simply too much of it falling down on them.

"Can Time Lords dye their hair?" Amy asked him randomly as she admired the coloured paper in the Doctor's hair.

"I don't know, I've never thought about it. Maybe. Why do you ask?"

"Because blue looks quite good in your hair. Ever thought about putting a blue streak in your fringe?" Amy then had to dodge the Doctor's playful swipe.

As she moved away, she knocked into a man selling sparklers, and she gave the Doctor a beseeching look.

The Doctor chuckled at her pleading expression, before reaching into his jacket's breast pocket to remove his wallet. He gave the man a couple of dollars and Amy became the proud owner of a sparkler.

The ecstatic smile on her face reminded the Doctor of a childish happiness, and he smiled fondly. It was a huge relief to see his Amy so happy again, especially after what she'd been through in the last few months.

But he quickly brushed that train of thought away, vowing to himself not to think about past events anymore. The present and the future were more important to him, more so now than ever, because Amy was a part of his life now.

"Hey Doctor, the fireworks are starting!" Amy exclaimed, pointing up at the sky.

The Doctor turned his gaze to the fireworks momentarily, before his eyes travelled to Amy's face.

Knowing that she was too enthralled by the fireworks to watch him, his hand returned to his pocket, and he slipped his hand inside to touch the blue, velvet ring box that resided there.

* * *

**DUN...DUN...DUNNNNN! The Doctor has an engagement ring for Amy. **

**But will he find the courage to propose? We'll see!**

**All reviewers get a preview...I haven't done that in a while...I kind of missed sending you guys messages. **

**Hayley x**


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: Hey guys! So thrilled that you liked the last chapter. I'm afraid to say that you might have to wait a bit for the actual proposal…I'm trying to make it a bit of a surprise…as in…you won't be expecting it when it happens! Be patient guys :D**

******As soon as they are engaged however, the underlying plot of this story will begin. And as you may have already guessed, it will be to do with the cracks in time. But I have my own twist on things. You'll see what I mean soon :)**

**I can't reply to anonymous reviews, but a huge thank you to 'mattsmithbigfan', Kara and Larsen! :) And I couldn't reply to because your messages are disabled, but thank you so much for your review! :)**

* * *

The Doctor was a smart man, but when it came to human life, he didn't have a clue. He had no idea about Earth marriage, despite the amount of research he'd conducted about it. He had the ring, which the TARDIS had kindly given to him, but he had no idea how to propose to Amy.

Galifreyan engagements and marriages were done through a psychic link between two mates, but because Amy was human, a psychic link was out of the question. The only way that the Doctor could form a psychic link with her would be if she was pregnant, but neither of them had even thought that far ahead yet.

Besides, Amy would kill him if he proposed to her whilst he was roaming around in her mind. And she wouldn't be too pleased by a two-minute ceremony either, so proposing and marrying her Earth-style seemed to be the only option.

Three months later, the Doctor was no closer to figuring out a way to propose to her. Amy was oblivious to his internal dilemma, and the Doctor was glad about that.

So it seemed to be a blessing in disguise when the Doctor found himself being thrown out of the TARDIS one day, though he didn't think so at first. Being stranded on Planet Earth without his mate or ship wasn't the most ideal situation. But after a note from Amy, he found himself a place to stay, and his roommate Craig was a brilliant man. Though the Doctor saved his life and helped him start a relationship with his best friend, he believed that Craig had helped him even more than he'd helped him.

One night, when both of them were watching television together, Craig had noticed the Doctor's brooding face, and he turned the TV off. "So come on." Craig said, nudging the Doctor with his elbow. "Who is she?"

The Doctor, who had been thinking about Amy, of course, decided to play dumb. "I don't know who you're talking about." He replied, looking anywhere but at Craig.

Craig snorted. "Don't give me that. Your face says it all Doctor. You're missing someone."

The Doctor's lips rose up into a small smile. "Amy." He whispered, turning to face Craig.

"Who's that?" Craig asked, picking up his beer bottle. "Your girlfriend?"

The Doctor reached into the breast pocket of his tweed jacket. "She's so much more to me than that." He told him, before pulling out the ring box to show him.

Craig let out a low whistle. "You're ready to take the plunge mate? Good luck to you."

"I am." The Doctor admitted, tucking the ring box away. "But it's complicated."

"Complicated how?"

"Complicated because I don't know how to propose." The Doctor sighed, running his hand through his hair.

Craig looked at him doubtfully. "Haven't you watched any films with proposals in them? Or used the Internet to help you?"

"No." The Doctor replied gloomily, leaning back against the sofa. "I didn't think about using the Media."

"Aren't you glad you have me?" Craig laughed, standing up to approach the cabinet next to the television. "Thanks to Sophie, I have my fair share of chick-flicks, so I suggest you start watching them and make some notes!"

The Doctor didn't even have time to protest before Craig threw the 'Bridget Jones' DVD at him.

~I~

Amy had a much worse time apart from the Doctor. She didn't know how to work the TARDIS, so she had to be fully reliant on the Doctor, who could only talk to her through his earpiece. Amy didn't like that at all. She liked being independent.

Even though she was only separated from him for a short while, she was still overwhelmed with relief when she was finally reunited with the Doctor.

They'd barely had the reunion Amy wanted before the Doctor was running around the console again. "Back in time. You need to go to the paper shop and leave a note for me."

"Right little matchmaker, aren't you?" She commented, smiling at him fondly.

The Doctor looked up from the console momentarily. "Me? Never. Oh, rectifier's playing up again. Hold on. You write the note and I'll change the wheel."

"You got a pen?" She asked him, watching him head out of the TARDIS doors.

"Make sure it's a red pen!" He called back to her, before slamming the doors shut behind him.

Amy spotted his tweed jacket lying on one of the console chairs, and she reached into the breast pocket, searching for a pen. But her fingers enclosed around a small box instead.

Stunned, she pulled her hand out and stared down at the ring box she had grabbed.

It couldn't be what she thought it was…could it?

Taking a deep breath, she prised the box open and she let out a small gasp at the engagement ring resting inside.

The ring was beautiful. It was a silver band with a white diamond, and a small ring of sapphires surrounded it, cut to look like a flower.

With trembling fingers, Amy withdrew the ring and slipped it onto her ring finger.

It was a perfect fit.

She lifted her hand up slowly, admiring the ring. It was elegant, and so _her._

Suddenly, she heard the Doctor knocking on the TARDIS doors, and she removed the ring hastily.

After ensuring the ring box was back in the Doctor's pocket where she found it, she walked over to the TARDIS doors and opened them.

"Sorry about that. Locked myself out." The Doctor said, shaking his head as he stepped back into his ship. "Forgot that I left my keys in my jacket. Have you written the note yet?""

Amy blinked, suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be writing a note for him. "Oh right, sorry! Slipped my mind. I'll do it now."

As she began to scribble a note for him, the Doctor watched her curiously, noticing that she looked a lot happier than a few minutes before.

Putting it down to being reunited safely, the Doctor turned away and pulled the green lever on the console down, leaving their adventure behind.

~I~

Amy didn't forget about the ring that the Doctor was carrying around with him. How could she, knowing that he was going to propose to her?

Of course she already knew her answer, but as time went on, she began to grow worried. Three weeks had passed since the Doctor's stay with Craig, but there had been no proposal. Not even a hint of one.

Amy had no idea why it was taking the Doctor so long to ask her to marry him. She'd say yes whatever, no matter their location.

The Doctor interrupted her thoughts then, and he waved his hand in front of her face. "Hey Amy, I have a question for you."

Amy began to feel hopeful. "What is it?" She asked, attempting to keep her eagerness out of her voice.

"How do you feel about visiting a seaside resort?"

"Brilliant. I'll get my bikini." She replied, turning away from him to hide her disappointment.

"You won't need one." The Doctor called after her as she began to ascend up the console room stairs. "It'll be cold."

"Fine. I'll just change into a skirt then." Amy called back, disappearing from the Doctor's sight.

The Doctor turned his attention to the console once she'd gone, and carefully piloted the TARDIS to the destination that he wanted to go to. Amy was certainly in for a surprise.

A couple of minutes later, Amy was dressed, and the two of them approached the TARDIS doors.

The Doctor threw them open eagerly, and stepped out into the cold air, tweed jacket billowing in the wind. Amy hovered tentatively in the doorway, eyeing the huge waves and the stormy sky.

"Come on Pond! Get a good lungful of that fresh sea air!" The Doctor yelled over the roaring wind.

"You'll get a great lungful of sea water if you're not careful." Amy called back, folding her arms across her chest. "When you said that it would be cold, you didn't mention that there'd be tidal waves and a storm!"

"Sorry, I'll be clearer next time." The Doctor apologised, twirling around to face her. "Are you coming out here or not?"

"After I've changed. A mini skirt isn't really suitable in this climate." Amy replied, heading back into the TARDIS.

The Doctor sighed. "Hurry up!" He yelled to her, stepping towards the surf.

It took him a couple of minutes to stumble towards the sea, the wind being too powerful to walk through, but finally, he arrived at the water.

As the tide rushed in, he crouched down, allowing his boots to be covered in seawater. "Hmm. This isn't right." He muttered, dipping his finger in the water. He stuck his finger in his mouth, and then gagged. "Definitely not right!" He spluttered, wiping his hand on his jacket.

"That is absolutely disgusting!" He heard Amy yell from behind him, and he stood up to watch her struggle towards him. "You don't know what's in that water!"

The Doctor grinned at her. "Oh, don't I? Amy, I can identify everything with taste. And let me tell you, this water isn't normal sea water."

"I could have told you that. It looks all oily looking." Amy remarked as she stopped beside him.

"It hasn't got any oil in it. It's much worse than that." The Doctor told her, backing away from the water.

"I don't even want to know." Amy grumbled, following him back up the beach. "Anyway, why are we even here?"

The Doctor shot her an offended look. "Don't you want to be here?"

Amy spread her arms out. "Of course not! When you said a seaside resort, I thought you meant somewhere like Hastings. Not a beach in the middle of a raging storm!"

"I like storms." The Doctor replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, this _will _be a seaside resort…in two hundred years time."

"Fan-bloody-tastic." Amy said gloomily, kicking some rocks with her converse-clad feet. "Why can't you take me somewhere warm for a change?"

"Hey!" The Doctor looked indignant. "I took you to Hawaii in the 28th Century."

"We were stuck inside a Volcano." Amy reminded him. "Not exactly a relaxing break!"

"It was a fun trip though." The Doctor recalled fondly. "Except when you were nearly dragged away. That wasn't very amusing. Anyway, now I've brought you to a nice beach. A nice, dark beach."

"A nice, dark, _stormy_ beach."

"It's not that bad." The Doctor protested. "Just look at the view!"

Amy followed his gaze back to the horizon, where a bolt of lighting had just hit the sea, sending the waves even higher. "Oh yes, what a view." She said dryly. "Lightning that's going to kill us."

"Stop being so negative." The Doctor criticised. "We're perfectly safe."

Suddenly, it began to rain, and they were both drenched with rainwater immediately.

"Oh yes!" Amy yelled over the wind. "Perfectly safe! And _wet_!"

The Doctor removed his bow tie and put it in his jacket pocket, not wanting to get it wet, and headed back for the TARDIS. Amy expected that they'd go inside and get dry, but the Doctor locked the door.

"What are you doing?" She demanded. "Open the door right now!"

"Amy, you didn't think I took you here just to admire the storm, did you?" He asked her, grabbing her hand and leading her further up the beach.

"As a matter of fact, yes!" She snapped, glaring at him as they stumbled towards the large boulders at the top of the beach.

Once they'd reached them, the Doctor climbed up onto the first one, almost slipping over. "Whoops! This is going to be tricky!" He called down to Amy.

"Oh bloody hell." Amy muttered, clambering onto the boulder beside him. "We're both going to break our necks!"

"Not if we do this slowly." The Doctor replied, stepping cautiously onto the next one.

"Why are we even climbing on these boulders anyway?" Amy shivered, refusing to move until she knew why they were risking their lives.

"To get off this beach! We need to get to the island village." The Doctor told her, on his hands and knees now to stop the wind from blowing him over.

Amy glanced nervously up at the stormy sky and then at the boulders. She didn't see herself climbing across them without injuring herself, so she scanned the beach for another way out.

When the next bolt of lightning streaked across the black sky, Amy spotted some stone steps leading off of the beach.

"Oh thank God!" She muttered, turning back to the Doctor. "I've found another way to get off this beach!" She yelled to him.

The Doctor, who was stuck in the middle of the boulders, glanced over his shoulder. "What did you say?" He yelled back.

Amy tried again. "I've found some stairs!"

The Doctor shook his head at her. "Can't hear a sausage!" He called. "Tell me when we're off of this beach."

Turning back around, he continued navigating his way across the boulders, slipping a couple of times. Amy watched him worriedly for a minute, before stepping off of the boulder and heading towards the stairs.

She climbed the stairs with ease and went to stand at the top of the boulders to watch the Doctor try to join her.

He didn't notice her until he'd nearly reached her, and when he saw Amy waiting for him, he gave a start and nearly toppled off of the boulders. "How did you get up there?" He bellowed over the noise of the storm.

"The stairs!" She yelled, shivering in her coat. "Now hurry up!"

"Why didn't you tell me there were stairs?" The Doctor cried as he reached the last boulder. "Honestly!"

Amy just sighed.

"Stand back Pond!" The Doctor warned, judging the distance between the boulder he was standing on and Amy. "I'm going to jump."

Amy backed away a couple of steps. "Be careful!" She told him anxiously. "I will be _so_ mad if you hurt yourself!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her. "Have some faith, will you?"

Amy did have faith in him, but it didn't stop her from closing her eyes, unable to watch the Doctor make a risky leap.

Suddenly there was a loud thump next to her, and she opened her eyes to see the Doctor sprawled on the ground beside her.

"I told you to be careful!" She chastised, offering him her hands to help haul him to his feet.

The Doctor took her hands gratefully, and once he was standing, he grinned at her. "I'm fine! See? Fit as a fiddle."

Amy glanced back down at the beach, and when she caught sight of the TARDIS, she realised something. "Doctor, we could have just transported the TARDIS up here!" She hissed, smacking his arm. "Now, thanks to you, we're both soaked, cold, and I can feel a headache coming on."

"Ah, but by the time I'd have moved the TARDIS, it would be daytime." The Doctor told her, wringing water out of his shirt. "And we need to be out here in the dark."

Amy began to mimic the Doctor, and she wrung water out of her sodden ponytail. "Did it need to be stormy as well?" She muttered, glaring up at the thundery sky.

"Nope. The weather was an unforeseen circumstance." The Doctor replied, running his hand through his wet hair as he scanned the surroundings.

"You know, you never did answer my question." Amy commented. "What is this place, and why are we here?"

"Well, this island is the home to something a bit like the Loch Ness Monster, if it existed. There have been over fifty people that have gone missing here over the past year, and the locals are saying that they were sacrifices."

Amy snorted. "Sacrifices to this monster-like sea alien? Do they really believe that?"

The Doctor looked at her gravely. "Sometimes it's easier to look to legend than to confront the real truth. The people here like to think that this alien is their God. "

"And we're here to what? Rescue these sacrifices? Find this Sea Alien? Or just generally be nosy?"

"All of the above." The Doctor said happily. He offered her his hand, and Amy took it, entwining her fingers with his.

"So, I'm guessing we're on Earth then." She remarked as they began to walk towards the village.

"Close. It's a planet fairly similar to Earth in the Victorian Times. Everyone has Scottish accents."

"Scottish accents!" Amy exclaimed, smiling for the first time since they'd arrived.

The Doctor grinned as well. "I bet you feel right at home now."

Amy nodded up at the sky. "Well, this is a bit like Britain, isn't it? Permanently bad weather, rain that could drown anyone, and freezing nights. Lovely."

Laughing, they walked through an iron gate into the village.

~I~

The village was nothing like Amy had expected. She expected a lot of land and a couple of farmhouses, but the village was more like a small town.

Dark, wooden buildings loomed over them as they walked through the winding, cobbled roads, and Amy looked around them nervously.

The Doctor began to scan some of the buildings with his sonic screwdriver, but it was useless, as it didn't work on wood.

Amy gazed into some of the windows as they passed some of the buildings, and was surprised to see the locals with their faces pressed against the glass, watching them blankly.

"Doctor, why is everyone staring at us?" Amy whispered, tugging on his hand.

The Doctor looked into one of the windows and frowned. "No idea. Maybe they don't like tourists."

Amy snorted. "Tourists. Is that what we are?"

"Well, that's the nice term for nosy busybodies." The Doctor replied, stopping beside one of the buildings. He knocked on the front door, but nobody answered, even though there had been people standing in front of the window only moments before.

"Where did they go?" Amy wondered, peering into the window.

Before the Doctor could answer, one of the upstairs windows of the building was thrown open and a little girl poked her head out. "Mister! Ma'am! You have to get out of here now!" She yelled down to them.

"Why?" The Doctor questioned. "What's wrong?"

"The monster! It'll get you!" The little girl cried, panicked. "Get out! Before—"

"Mary! Get away from that window!" They heard a woman shout, and the little girl was pulled out of sight.

Amy and the Doctor exchanged bewildered glances. "What do we do now?" Amy asked him, shivering in her thin jacket. "Getting out sounds like a very good idea to me. It's wet, cold and there's a great big monster that wants to get us."

"We're not going anywhere." The Doctor told her, gazing around them. "We just need to find somewhere to stay, maybe—" But he broke off when the street was suddenly plunged into darkness.

All of the lanterns that lit the street had been put out, and there wasn't any light coming from any of the buildings.

"Why does it feel like we're suddenly in a ghost town?" Amy muttered, meeting the Doctor's gaze.

"It's like the locals don't want to be noticed." He commented quietly, using his screwdriver as a torch.

Realisation dawned on Amy. "Like they're hiding?"

"Exactly like they're hiding." The Doctor said grimly.

"But from what?"

Amy's question was answered with an almighty roar from behind them, and they spun around to see a huge, alien tentacle sliding down the street towards them.

* * *

**All reviewers get a preview of the next chapter :)**

**Hayley x**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: Love how excited you guys are getting over the proposal. Be patient, it will happen…soon :D And not in the way you think it will! ;)**

**And because I can write this…. AAAAAAAAAAAAH over the first episode of Series 6! I won't write anything about it here, because some of you may not have seen it yet, but all I'm going to say is…Amy/Doctor moments = love. That is all.**

**River/Doctor flirtation…not so much. Bleurgh. **

* * *

Amy's first instinct was to run, and she began to back away from the tentacle. The Doctor however, edged closer to it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Amy barked, grabbing his arm and attempting to yank him backwards.

"It could need our help!" The Doctor replied, aiming his screwdriver at the tentacle as it moved towards them.

"Doctor, there's a reason why the townsfolk are hiding away and you're staring right at it!" Amy cried back. "We should get out of here!"

The Doctor shrugged out of her grip and took a few steps forward. "Amy, don't be ridiculous. This alien is completely harmless and I think–"

Suddenly there was another loud roar, and the tentacle rose up in the air, hovering over them.

"—We should run!" The Doctor yelled, grabbing Amy's hand and running away from the tentacle.

"You think?" Amy retorted, glancing behind as they ran.

The tentacle was advancing on them faster now, and the Doctor knew that it was only a matter of minutes before it grabbed them.

"We need to find somewhere to hide!" He called to Amy over the wind, and she nodded.

"Over there!" She called back, pointing ahead at an old building in front of them. The door was barricaded with thick wood, but there was a wooden hatch to the side of it, which would allow them to duck underground.

"My sonic doesn't work on wood!" The Doctor hissed as they stopped in front of it.

"For Goodness sake! You don't need to use that bloody screwdriver for everything!" Amy cried, before kicking the hatch door in.

The Doctor barely had time to judge the distance to the floor below before Amy pushed him down the open hatch.

He landed with a thump on a cold stone floor, and Amy fell directly on top of him, using him to cushion her fall.

"Blimey Pond, a warning next time would be nice." The Doctor groaned as Amy climbed to her feet. "It's not everyday you push me down a hole. We could have died!"

"I'd rather fall to my death than be eaten by an alien, thank you very much!" Amy snapped, moving away from the open hatch. "You shouldn't complain, at least we're safe now."

They heard another roar above them, and they both froze. "Or not." The Doctor whispered, scrambling to his feet.

"Can it get us from down here?" Amy asked softly, feeling the Doctor take her hand.

"I don't think so. But just in case, we better move away from the hatch." He led them over to one of the stonewalls, feeling the way as he went. The room they were in was darker than the outside.

He slid down to the ground slowly, and Amy sank down next to him, leaning against the wall. The only warmth they had was the heat from the other's hands, and both of them began to shiver in their wet clothes.

"Where do you think we are?" Amy whispered, snuggling into the Doctor's side.

The Doctor wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, embracing in the warmth from her body heat. "Judging by the smell of damp, I'd say that we're in a cellar." He replied quietly.

Amy chuckled. "Hmm. Could be worse. We could be in a Star Whale's mouth."

The Doctor smiled as he recalled that memory. "That was a fun trip. Still wish we'd seen the stomach though."

Amy acted as if she hadn't heard him. "And this place is sort of cosy…" She trailed off to press her lips to his jaw.

The Doctor immediately caught on to what she was implying. "Amy…" He sighed, his arm falling from around her shoulders. "I think you have a one-track mind."

"Hey, I can't help it! I'm freezing!" She replied, latching onto him, refusing to let him put some distance between them.

"Exactly! So you should be too cold to—"

"Who's there?" A man's voice boomed, and the Doctor and Amy immediately leapt to their feet.

The Doctor withdrew his sonic screwdriver and pointed it in the direction of the man's voice, illuminating the cellar with soft, green light.

The light allowed them to see a tall, elderly man standing at the top of a flight of stairs, carrying a rifle. Unfortunately, his weapon was aimed at Amy and the Doctor.

"Put that light out! Do you want the alien to grab ya?" The man hissed, cocking his gun. "Get up here now!"

The Doctor glanced at Amy, whom had her hands raised in the air, and he quickly mimicked her, turning the screwdriver off in the process.

Slowly, they advanced up the rickety stairs onto the first floor of the building, a building that looked like an old-fashioned hotel.

Once Amy and the Doctor were out of the cellar, the man slammed the door shut behind them. "What business do you have sneaking into my cellar like that?" The man hissed, still aiming his rifle at them.

Amy was too stunned to answer. Being held at gunpoint by a human was astonishing for her, she was too used to being held hostage by aliens.

Seeing that Amy wasn't going to speak, the Doctor spoke up. "I'll tell you if you stop pointing that gun at us." He told him, staring the man down defiantly.

The man let out a cackle. "What do you think I am? Stupid?"

"Very. If you don't want to get me angry, then don't point a gun at me." The Doctor hissed, grabbing the rifle with his hands.

"If you don't let go, I'll shoot." The man snarled, his finger hovering over the trigger.

"Doctor, don't!" Amy cried, fisting her hands in the back of his tweed jacket. "Just let go!"

"Thomas, what's going on?"

All three of them turned to the right to see a woman, about the same age as the man, walking towards them. "You're being too loud." She continued. "We have to be quiet to stay alive, you know that."

"Sorry Charlotte. We have intruders." Thomas replied, turning back to face the Doctor again. "They were trying to hide in the cellar."

"Oh, you poor things!" Charlotte cried, reaching them at last. "Are you both okay? Did the sea monster get you?"

The Doctor removed his hold on the rifle, and Amy relaxed. "We're fine. Nearly got us, but we managed to break into here. Sorry about that, by the way." She said hastily, giving Charlotte a sheepish smile.

"That's okay dear, I understand. Do you need somewhere to stay the night?" Charlotte asked. "We're more than happy to accommodate you. This building is a hotel…not that we get any vacancies anymore. Who would, with a sea monster kidnapping tourists and locals?"

"Thank you, that's really kind of you." Amy said warmly, smiling.

"Wait just a minute! We don't even know who you are! You're not even from around here!" Thomas hissed, still pointing his gun at the Doctor.

"I'm Amy. This is the Doctor." Amy said, introducing them. "The Doctor has my credentials."

She waited for the Doctor to show them his psychic paper, a clever device that would make Charlotte and Thomas believe what Amy wanted them to, but the Doctor didn't seem to be paying any attention.

Amy snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Oi!"

"Oh, you mean me?" The Doctor asked, reaching into his pocket and taking out his psychic paper.

He showed it to Charlotte and Thomas, who both looked surprised. "Wow, I'm so sorry your highness!" Thomas exclaimed, sinking into a bow at Amy's feet. "I didn't mean to threaten you earlier…I had no idea!"

"Your highness?" The Doctor echoed, eyeing Amy warily. "Really?"

Amy responded with a sharp jab in the ribs.

"I'll take you to your room at once, your majesty." Charlotte told her, beaming. "Are you two married?"

Amy's thoughts briefly turned to the engagement ring that she knew resided in the Doctor's pocket, and before she could say yes, the Doctor blurted out, "No! No! Most definitely not!"

"Very well. We'll give you separate rooms." Charlotte replied, walking down the corridor. Thomas fell into step beside her, leaving Amy and the Doctor some time to talk privately.

"So you're the queen of planet Earth?" The Doctor whispered, smiling slightly.

"You bet your bowtie I am." Amy said smugly.

"Who am I then?" The Doctor wondered.

"My servant, of course."

The Doctor felt disappointed at that. "Why aren't I your King?"

Amy looked at him strangely. "Because you said we weren't married, remember?

_Not for long. _The Doctor thought, his smile widening.

Unfortunately for him, Amy was too perceptive. "What's that smile for?" She asked him curiously, though she had a vague idea about what he was thinking about.

The Doctor quickly straightened his face. "Nothing, just a passing thought. It's gone now, flown away. Can't remember it now. Next question."

"Okay then. Why did you say we weren't married? Now we have to sleep in separate rooms!"

"Hey, you're the one who made me your servant. If I was your King, they would have put us together. Anyway, we can still talk to each other, I brought these with me." The Doctor reached into his pocket and withdrew two earpieces. "Just make sure you keep them out of sight of Thomas and Charlotte."

"Because they'll get a shock if they saw them?" Amy guessed, taking one of the earpieces from the Doctor.

"No, I just don't want them to know that we're in contact with each other. I don't trust them."

"You're joking, right?" Amy snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. "They're nice! Well, Charlotte is, she let us stay here for the night."

"After we broke into her cellar. A bit strange, don't you think? She almost seemed too eager to help us." The Doctor whispered, turning his gaze to Thomas and Charlotte, who were luckily out of earshot.

"You really are a madman if you think she wants to hurt us."

The Doctor shrugged. "We'll see. Just keep an eye out, okay?"

"Sure." Amy replied, struggling to hide her grin. "I'll sleep with one eye open, just in case she decides to hit me with her walking stick."

"Joke if you want to, but just be cautious, okay?"

The Doctor's anxious tone caused Amy to sober up. "Okay." She said seriously. "I'll be careful."

~I~

After placing the Doctor and Amy in separate bedrooms and warning them not to use any lights, Thomas and Charlotte departed upstairs, leaving them both alone on the first floor. The Doctor's bedroom was on the other side of the floor, something that worried him slightly. He didn't like distance between him and Amy.

Amy however was more concerned about the state of the room. "I'm disappointed by my room. I expected some freebies at least, maybe a chocolate or a mint on my pillow. Instead I get dirty stained sheets." She complained through the earpiece. "Lovely."

"You complain about the most menial of things." The Doctor sighed, lying down on his bed.

"I'm the bloody queen. I deserve a five star room." Amy told him. "Although, we are staying here for free and we did lie to them about who we are, so I guess I shouldn't complain."

"No, you shouldn't. Now get some sleep."

The Doctor could almost picture Amy's pout. "I don't want to." She replied stubbornly. "I have nothing to change into! How am I supposed to sleep in wet clothes?"

Her reply made the Doctor sit upright in the bed. "Amy, didn't Charlotte give you some nightclothes?" He asked her, worried.

"No, did she give you some?"

"Yes. Something isn't right here." He stated, standing up. "I'm coming over."

Amy laughed at his anxious tone. "Doctor, it's fine. I'll just—oh wait, someone's knocking on my door. I'll bet you anything its Charlotte with the clothes."

Knowing that voicing his concern was useless, as Amy wouldn't listen, the Doctor stayed silent, allowing him to listen to their conversation.

"Amy dear, I forgot to give you some clothes to change into." He heard Charlotte say. "Here, I got you a bundle to choose from."

Amy's voice was a lot clearer through the speaker. "Thank you Charlotte, that's very kind of you."

"You're welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I don't think so." The Doctor heard the door begin to close. "Thanks again!"

"Goodnight, your majesty."

The door shut then, and he heard Amy laugh. "See! I told you. Nothing to worry about."

"Fine, maybe my instinct was wrong this time." The Doctor admitted begrudgingly, returning to his bed.

"I love it when you're proved wrong." Amy said smugly, and the Doctor could hear her rummaging through the pile of clothes. "It just proves that—oh, what's this?"

The Doctor frowned. "What?"

Amy's next words struck fear into both of the Doctor's hearts. "Charlotte put a lantern in the middle of the bundle."

"Is it lit?" The Doctor asked anxiously. "Put it out!"

"I already have." Amy told him; oblivious to the danger she was in.

"Amy, I need you to be very quiet." The Doctor whispered, and he heard Amy stop looking through the clothes. "Don't move, and don't say anything."

Amy gasped quietly, and the Doctor padded over to his bedroom door. "Charlotte put that lantern there for a reason." He told her softly, opening the door. "I told you that something wasn't right."

"But—"

"Ssssh!"

Shutting the door behind him, he began to make his way down the corridor. "I'm coming over. Don't make a—"

Suddenly, he heard her bedroom window shatter. "Doctor, the monster's outside!" Amy cried.

"Get out of there!" He yelled, sprinting now. "Now!"

He heard her race to her bedroom door and attempt to open the door. "She's locked me in!" She shrieked, rattling the doorknob.

Turning the corner, the Doctor saw her bedroom door, and he began to race towards it. "Get out of the way of the door!" He roared, and Amy screamed.

"Doctor, it's in my room!"

Furious, the Doctor slammed his body into the locked bedroom door, causing it to fly open. The move sent him crashing him to the floor, and Amy quickly flew to his side.

Looking up, the Doctor saw the tentacle hovering in the air above them, and he leapt to his feet, pushing Amy behind him protectively.

"If we stay very still, it won't get us." The Doctor murmured out of the corner of his mouth to her. "Just edge back very slowly, and we should be—aaaah!"

The tentacle suddenly curled itself around the Doctor's leg and yanked him to the floor, and Amy screamed again as he was dragged towards the broken window.

The Doctor struggled uselessly in his restraints, cursing himself for leaving his screwdriver in his bedroom.

He didn't notice Amy snap into action, and she grabbed the wooden chair beside her bed.

She raised it high above her head and smashed it down on the tentacle with all of her strength, and the monster wailed in pain. It released the Doctor, and he scrambled to his feet.

"Go! Go! Go!" He yelled, pushing Amy out of the bedroom, though it was unnecessary, as the tentacle had already retreated from the bedroom.

Panting, the Doctor collapsed onto the floor in the corridor, and Amy sank down next to him. "You know Pond, I never give you enough credit." The Doctor gasped. "You just saved my life!"

"Well, you saved mine too, so we're even." Amy sighed, leaning against him. "What are we going to do now? Is it safe to still be here?"

"Maybe not up here, but we'll be safe in the cellar." The Doctor replied quietly. "I conducted a degree analysis – if we sleep approximately at a thirty-seven degree angle at a perp—"

"Okay!" Amy interrupted, rolling her eyes. "Don't need to know the science gibberish. Are we going to confront Thomas and Charlotte first?"

A twisted smile appeared on the Doctor's face. "No. I want them to think we've been taken, before we confront them. Makes things a lot more amusing that way."

Amy gave him a strange look. "That's a bit devious of you, isn't it?"

"Charlotte just tried to get you kidnapped Amy. I can't forgive her for that." The Doctor replied coldly. "Therefore I will take great pleasure in frightening them tomorrow morning, okay?"

For fear of the Doctor turning his anger on her, Amy agreed quickly. After gathering their clothes, they crept back downstairs to the cellar.

The Doctor managed to shut the hatch; while Amy created a bed on the stone floor with the blankets they'd taken from their rooms.

The Doctor admired her handiwork, before curling up in the bed, gesturing for Amy to join him.

"You know, we could continue our conversation from earlier." She remarked as she slid in beside him. "About certain activities that keep you warm."

The Doctor chuckled and lifted his arm up so that she could snuggle into his side. "Oh, like counting sheep? I've heard that's a fun activity. Helps you sleep too."

Amy pouted as she rested her head on the Doctor's chest. "You're no fun."

"Yes I am, and you know it." The Doctor grinned, tracing random patterns on her hip. "I just don't want to wake Thomas and Charlotte up. You're very loud Amy."

He could almost feel the heat of Amy's blush as she raised her head to bury her face against his neck. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She mumbled.

"Of course you don't. Now get some sleep. We have some investigating to do tomorrow."

"Oh good." Amy sighed, closing her eyes. "As long as it doesn't involve us being eaten by that alien."

"I can't make any promises." The Doctor said softly, but Amy had already fallen asleep.

* * *

**This chapter did contain some suggestive content, but hey, it's a T-Rated fic. Haha. And after the, 'I'm quite the screamer' line in Doctor Who from River, I think what I wrote was pretty mild, haha!**

***Cringes over the River/Doctor relationship***

**Anyhow, you know the drill! Every review gets a preview :)**

**Ooh, that rhymed…sort of. Go me!**

**Hayley x**

**p.s Thank you to Jamie5 and DaWhoGirl for your sweet reviews! :D**


	41. Chapter 41

**Hey guys! I know I promised you all that I'd reply to reviews + give you a preview, but Fanfiction wouldn't display my review page again :\ And then when I finally accessed it, I saw that I had about fifty reviews.**

**FIFTY.**

**HONESTLY. **

**I was completely stunned. I never expected to have that many. You guys are so faithful to me. I love you all, seriously.**

**And to my new readers + anonymous reviewers, aka C'est Moi (who now has an account, so hi! :D We must talk soon! Your reviews made me smile so much! My favourite line in a review was: ****BAMCHICKAWOWOWWWW****) and alyssa, thank you so much! Kisses to you all!**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

**(Read the end of the chapter to hear my take on the second episode of Doctor Who Series 6!)**

* * *

Dawn soon approached, and the Doctor's eyes snapped open at the first rays of sunlight. He woke Amy up, and after they had gotten changed into their now-dry clothes, they headed upstairs to find Charlotte and Thomas.

They moved as stealthily as possible, and the Doctor located the elderly couple by listening out for their voices. He decided to sneak up on them, and he hid around the corner with Amy to listen to their conversation.

"They've gone!" They heard Charlotte exclaim excitedly. "The monster took both of them!"

"I don't like this Charlotte." Thomas sighed. "Sacrificing people just so we can be safe – it's not right!"

"Oh hush Thomas. We're safe, aren't we?"

The Doctor decided to make his presence known, and he rounded the corner, waving cheerfully at the couple. "Hullo! Remember us?"

Charlotte and Thomas exchanged bewildered glances, especially when Amy appeared behind the Doctor.

"I take that as a yes." The Doctor said, his false smile becoming a glare. "We're the ones you tried to kill."

Thomas's face grew ashen. "We didn't—"

"Think it would be fun, did you?" The Doctor spat bitterly, taking a menacing step towards them. Amy began to bite her lip anxiously. "Sacrificing a Royal Queen –who isn't actually a queen by the way— so that the alien would leave you alone?"

Charlotte averted her gaze, and the Doctor's glare deepened. "You're sick!" He roared, striding towards them. "How many people have you tried to kill before, hmm? You disgust me!"

The elderly couple withered under the Doctor's fury, and Amy began to feel scared as well. "Doctor, I think that's enough now." She whispered, tugging on the back of his tweed jacket. "We should go."

The Doctor ignored her. "I hope you're both taken tonight! I'll see to it myself – if the monster doesn't show up, I will. You've upset the wrong alien, you repulsive, twisted—!"

"That's enough!" Amy snapped, shoving the Doctor away from them. "You've said your stuff, so let's go!"

"I won't forget what you both tried to do!" The Doctor yelled as Amy forced him around the corner, and out of the hotel.

~I~

Standing outside in the fresh air, the Doctor managed to calm down, and Amy watched him cautiously. It didn't take him long to forget about his anger, and soon he was striding towards the beach, Amy running along beside him.

He didn't seem to notice how quiet she'd become, but she thought that maybe that was for the best. She didn't know what she'd say if he asked her why she seemed upset. The reason for that was because he had scared her at the hotel, but she could never admit that to him.

Amy could handle a lot of things, but seeing the Doctor's anger had struck something deep inside her, and she found herself wary of him all of a sudden.

She figured that it'd pass, and in the meantime, she'd try not to say anything that might provoke his anger.

As they walked out of the village's iron gate onto the beach, they both stopped short, marvelling at the sight before them.

Gone were the stormy skies and tidal waves. Instead, the sky was a clear blue, and the sea was calm. Groups of children were running freely along the coast, laughing and shrieking with delight. They didn't seem to notice the TARDIS, which was sitting on the beach beside them.

"You wouldn't think that this was the same place as last night." The Doctor whispered, awed. "I wonder if—"

The Doctor broke off when there was a cry of "Mister! Ma'am!" from a little girl, who was running towards them. He and Amy immediately recognised her to be the little girl who had warned them the night before, Mary.

"You both survived?" Mary gasped, drawing to a stop in front of them. "Did you find somewhere to go?"

"Yes, thanks to you." The Doctor grinned, giving her an affectionate pat on the head.

Mary lowered her eyes to the ground. "My mother's angry with me, she said that I shouldn't have warned you." She admitted sheepishly. "Now the monster is gonna take a family tonight."

"Nonsense. I won't let it." The Doctor told her firmly, crouching to her level. "Do you want to know why?"

Mary raised her head shyly. "Why mister?"

"Because Amy and I are going to be taken instead."

There was a groan from Amy, but the Doctor ignored it. "We're going to find out what's going on." He continued, smiling reassuringly at Mary. "When we do, I promise that you'll be safe."

Mary's lower lip trembled. "And my family too?" She whispered.

"Your family too." The Doctor confirmed, and Mary threw her arms around him.

"Thank you mister!" She sobbed.

The Doctor returned her hug, beaming. "You're welcome. But until we find out what's going on, you have to promise me that you'll stay safe…okay?"

Mary pulled back, nodding eagerly. "I double-promise!"

"Good girl." The Doctor rose to his feet and gestured to the beach. "Now, why don't you run along and go back to your friends? You better go and tell them that the monster will soon be gone."

"I will mister!" Mary exclaimed, waving at them as she backed away. "Goodbye!"

The Doctor waved back, before turning to Amy. "She's a cute kid. She reminds me of you when you were younger. Must be the accent."

When Amy didn't reply, the Doctor's smile faded. "You okay Pond? You don't seem too happy."

Amy just shrugged.

Realisation dawned on the Doctor. "Are you angry about last night?"

"God no." Amy snorted, her eyes meeting his. "Try this morning."

The Doctor looked away from her. "I lost my temper, you know how I get." He remarked, his tone nonchalant.

Amy's eyes narrowed, annoyed by his attitude. "But you really scared me earlier." The Doctor stiffened at her words, but she wasn't finished. "I thought you were going to hurt them."

The Doctor took a few steps backwards, distancing himself from her. "You did?"

His voice was cold, detached, and Amy knew that she'd hurt him unintentionally. "Look Doctor, don't get upset."

She tried to approach him, but the Doctor kept a distance between them. "I'm not. I'm just…surprised."

Amy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Doctor—"

Suddenly he was frantic. "Amy, it wasn't my intention to hurt them! I swear! I just wanted to…I don't even—"

"Doctor, it's fine." Amy finally reached him and placed her hands reassuringly on his shoulders. "Just don't lose your temper like that again. I never want you to yell at me like that."

His wild eyes met hers. "I would never—"

"I know." Amy murmured tenderly, her hands sliding from his shoulders to his cheeks. "You'd get your skinny arse kicked if you tried."

The hurt and shame abruptly left the Doctor's face, and a grin lit up his face. "Is that so, Pond?" He drawled, before jostling her.

Amy shoved him back, and they tumbled onto the soft sand, laughing.

And just like that, things were back to normal.

~I~

"Ready to be eaten by a monster?"

It was now nighttime, and Amy and the Doctor were sitting on the beach, waiting for the monster to arrive and take them.

Amy raised her eyebrows at him, and he gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. "It'll be okay." He assured her. "The monster's tentacles have teleport pacification lenses."

"So?"

"So we'll get teleported to whatever is controlling it."

"And then what?" Amy asked, staring out at the dark water. "We find out what's going on, conquer evil, and then find a way to teleport back to the TARDIS?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yes. Simple."

"Doctor, one of the things that I've learnt travelling with you is that nothing is ever simple." Amy sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I suppose that's true."

"You suppose." Amy snorted, shaking her head.

They sat in silence for a moment, before she spoke again. "Doctor?"

"Yes Pond?"

"When this monster arrives…will it hurt us?"

The Doctor turned his head to face her. "I don't know."

Amy frowned, and the Doctor could sense her anxiety. "Oh. Okay."

"Here." The Doctor withdrew his sonic screwdriver, and aimed it at her temple. "I'll put you to sleep. When you wake up, you'll be…well, I don't know. But you'll be with me."

Amy eyed his screwdriver warily. "You promise?"

"I promise. Now, sleep. You won't even see the monster." Before the Doctor could press the golden button, Amy's hand stopped him.

"You'll be alright though, won't you?" She asked him.

"Amy, I'll be perfectly safe. I'll be knocked out when we're teleported with the monster. Don't worry."

Amy gazed at him for a moment, before nodding her consent. "Okay. Put me to sleep, monkey boy."

The Doctor laughed, and their lips met briefly. "Love you." He murmured, pressing his device against her temple.

Amy succumbed instantly, and the Doctor lay her body down on the sand, before curling up next to her.

"And now, we wait." He sighed, turning his gaze to the sea.

~I~

"Pond? Earth to Pond!"

Amy stirred, but didn't open her eyes.

"Amyyyyy."

"What do you want?" Amy muttered to the Doctor, her eyes still firmly shut.

"I want you to wake up." He replied, and Amy groaned.

"No way."

"Always so stubborn." The Doctor sighed. "Would you wake up if I told you that sixty people were staring at you?"

Amy's eyes snapped open, but she regretted opening them so quickly when she saw the bright white lights above them. "Where are we?" She asked blearily, rubbing her eyes.

"In a prison cell underwater with sixty people that are still staring at you." The Doctor murmured, and Amy quickly sat up.

When Amy met the prisoner's gaze, they all looked away. "Why are they staring at us?"

The Doctor looked around, a calculating expression on his face. "Maybe because we've just appeared out of nowhere in their prison cell."

"What makes you think we're underwater?" Amy asked him, before catching sight of the windows beside them, showing that they were submerged somewhere under the water. "Actually, don't bother answering that. Why are we here?"

"The monster took you, didn't it?" A woman hissed at them suddenly, wild-eyed. "You better dirty yourselves!"

"I'm not familiar with that term." The Doctor said, frowning in confusion.

"The ones who stand out get taken first!" The woman cried. "Scrape back your red hair, and take off that bow tie!"

The Doctor and Amy did what she told them to, both exchanging puzzled looks. "May I ask why we have to 'dirty' ourselves?" The Doctor asked, perplexed.

"Because we're all in incredible danger!" Another prisoner told them fearfully. "They take someone out of here every fifteen minutes."

"Why?"

The Doctor's question was answered when screams erupted around them. Many of the prisoners covered their ears, and another sound joined the screams: the sound of a crying baby.

Amy's head shot up, and she looked around frantically for the baby. "They kidnapped a baby?" She cried, horrified.

A man came forward holding the baby. "This little boy has been here a couple of hours now." He told Amy over the cries and screams. "No one was kidnapped with him. And we can't calm him down when the screaming starts."

Determination took over for Amy. "Pass him here." She commanded, holding her arms out for the baby.

The man passed him into Amy's arms, and she cradled him to her chest. "Hey you." She whispered, smiling down at the young baby.

She began to rock him back and forth, and the Doctor could only watch her in admiration as the baby's cries eventually stopped.

The prisoners looked surprised that the baby had stopped crying. "Are you a mother or something?" One of them asked Amy.

"No." Amy replied softly, smiling down at the baby in her arms. "But I think I'd like to be, someday."

Her eyes met the Doctor's, and their gaze locked, and then held. Without breaking his gaze from her, the Doctor slid closer to her and slipped his arm around her shoulders.

"Do you want to hold him?" Amy whispered to him.

The Doctor looked unsure at first, but eventually he nodded, and Amy passed him the baby. He held the small boy with ease, almost naturally, and the sight touched Amy's heart.

"You'd make a great father one day." She murmured to the Doctor, and he looked up from the baby's serene face to meet her gaze.

"That's funny, I was about to say that you'd make a great mother one day." He commented quietly, his eyes shining with warmth and love.

They both smiled at each other, both imagining the same family picture, and the Doctor kissed her tenderly.

Suddenly the screams stopped, and the moment between them was instantly broken.

"One of us in next!" One of the prisoners cried, and Amy and the Doctor could only watch in bewilderment as a huge commotion broke out. Prisoners were fighting to hide in the corner and behind each other.

"They're here!" Another cried out, and Amy and the Doctor turned their gaze to the front of the prison cell, where two blue, beetle-like aliens were waiting.

They ignored Amy and the Doctor, much to their relief, and focused on the man that had given Amy the baby to hold.

"No!" He cried. "Not me! Please! I have a family! You can't hurt me!"

The two aliens didn't listen, and they marched into the cell, grabbing the man by his arms and hauling him out. His begging eventually faded away.

"Please tell me you have a plan." Amy hissed to the Doctor as he passed the baby back to her.

"Sort of." The Doctor said, rising to his feet and taking out his sonic screwdriver. "Right, listen up everybody!"

The prisoners fell silent, and gazed at him.

"I'm going to unlock this prison—"

Immediately the prisoners were talking and yelling again.

"Shut up!" Amy yelled over the racket, and the prisoners hastily stopped talking.

"Thanks Pond." The Doctor said, nodding at her gratefully. "Right, when I've unlocked the door, you are all to follow Amy, as quietly as possible while I confront the aliens."

Amy began to shake her head at his plan, but the Doctor wasn't finished. "As we were all teleported here, this screwdriver will lead you to the control room. Once there, you are all to teleport back to the island. I know that not all of you are from there, but I can't transport you all back home. The important thing is to get you all safe. Are we clear?"

"But Sir, how are you going to stop the aliens?" One of the prisoners asked him anxiously.

"Don't know yet. I'll improvise." The Doctor replied airily. "Any questions?"

"I have a bloody question!" Amy hissed, and the Doctor sighed.

"Yes Pond?"

"Why are we separating?" She demanded.

"We have to." The Doctor said firmly. "We need to rescue these people – and ourselves – and to do that, you need to teleport the prisoners to safety and I need to stop the aliens."

"I'm not leaving you!" Amy cried, accidentally tightening her hold on the baby in her arms. When he whimpered, she quickly passed him to the prisoner nearest to her.

"Amy, please." This time the Doctor's voice was gentle. "Just follow the plan."

Amy scowled at him. "It's a stupid plan."

"It's the only plan we've got."

Amy sighed, sensing defeat, and the Doctor stepped forward. "Now." He said, taking out a pen from his pocket. "I need to give you some teleportation codes." He took her hand and began to scribble some numbers onto her skin. "This is the code for the island, and the other code is for this base."

Amy frowned down at her hand. "Doctor, there's three codes. What's the last code for?"

The Doctor hesitated, before replying. "It's the code to get you back to Leadworth, two days after your Aunt's funeral." He whispered.

Amy immediately began to scrub off the last code from her hand. "I don't need it." She said angrily.

The Doctor smiled sadly. "Amy, if something happens to me…"

Amy glared at him stubbornly. "It won't."

"Even so, I'm not leaving you here if something does happen to me."

"Listen Doctor, there is no way I'm leaving you." Amy hissed defiantly. "Not even if you can't get back to me. I don't run away. That's not something I do."

"But—"

"But nothing." Amy said firmly. "There is no me without you, and there is no way in hell I am leaving you." She finished scrubbing the code off, so that only two codes remained on her skin. "We're a team. We stay together. Clear?"

The Doctor gazed at her, speechless, and it was a while before he could recover his voice. "Amy Pond, I don't think I've ever loved you as much as I do right now." He finally whispered, cradling her face in his hands and kissing her lovingly.

He felt Amy smile against his lips, and she pulled back. "Get going monkey boy!" She said cheerfully, smacking the Doctor's backside as he unlocked the door to their cell.

As he gave Amy his screwdriver, they kissed again before she began to back away from him. "I love you." She mouthed, and then she spun around to face the prisoners. "Right then people, let's get a move on!"

* * *

**I PROMISE THAT I WILL REPLY THIS TIME. I'll even throw in a longer preview to what I normally give you guys, how's that? :D **

**Hayley x**

**p.s What did you guys think of the second episode of Series 6? I have convinced myself that Amy was never talking about Rory, and that she meant the Doctor the whole time. And the girl in the episode is her and the Doctor's baby. I know that's probably not true, but in my head, it is. Haha. I like Rory, (he looked adorable in those glasses), but I'm a die-hard Amy/Doctor fan. I mean, how can you NOT be? Matt and Karen are fantastic together!**


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: I'm very sorry that none of you could access this chapter at first, and thank you to the people that messaged me about it. I have no idea what happened, but fingers crossed that it works now! (Does it?)**

**Anyway, back to my original A/N...**

**Guys, I think I may ship another Doctor Who couple…TARDIS/Doctor. How adorable was 'The Doctor's Wife'? It was BRILLIANT. **

**I soooo want to incorporate that storyline into this story. It doesn't fit the plan but who knows…it may be right for the…wait for it…SEQUEL!**

**Yes, you heard me correctly. There will (most-probably) be a sequel to this story. It won't be for a while yet as we still have a long way to go in this story, but when Ratings out of Ten is finished, I won't be ready to let go just yet.**

**Now, I have a sequel name in mind…but the title kind of gives away the ending of this story. You'll have to wait for it, I'm afraid! **

**Anyhow, enjoy this short(ish) chapter of the ending to the beach story!**

**(Oh, and thank you to Hollen, Emma and to die for dr who fan for your anonymous reviews! :D )**

* * *

It was only when Amy and the Doctor had gone their separate ways when the Doctor realised that he could have given her the communicators that they'd been using the night before to stay in contact.

But it was too late, so the Doctor had no choice but to continue through the base, searching for the aliens.

Without the aid of his sonic screwdriver and without Amy beside him, he felt a little lost.

~I~

Amy however, was in the midst of a beetle versus human battle. A few minutes after separating from the Doctor, twenty of the beetle-like aliens had surrounded her and the prisoners.

Amy had snapped into action quickly, disabling the alien's weapons with the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, but that didn't stop the aliens from chasing them down the corridor.

"The door at the end is the control room!" Amy yelled over the shrieks of terror from the prisoners as the aliens advanced on them.

One of the prisoners reached the door first, and cried, "The door's locked!"

"Get out of the way!" Amy bellowed, pushing through the panicking crowds of prisoners.

She quickly unlocked the door with the screwdriver, and allowed the prisoners to enter before her. Once the last prisoner was in, Amy hurried in and slammed the door shut behind her. She used the screwdriver to lock the door, and then flicked it up to check the readings.

"The sonic is telling me that the lock will only keep for ten minutes." She told the prisoners. "We need to hurry and find the teleport before the aliens get in here."

"Uh…ma'am?" A prisoner spoke up, pointing behind Amy. "I think we have a problem."

"What now?" Amy sighed, spinning around, only to come face to face with the tentacle alien that had kidnapped everyone to the base.

~I~

Fortunately for the Doctor, he wasn't lost for long, and he soon found the central room of the base. He paused outside of the door, readying himself, before bursting in.

"Hello! Hope I'm not too late for the party!" He announced cheerfully, grinning at the shocked aliens.

"Seize him!" One of the aliens shouted, and as they began to advance on the Doctor, he held up his hand.

"Whoa. That's a bit rude, isn't it? I'm a guest here!" The Doctor exclaimed, and the aliens paused in confusion.

"You're a prisoner." The alien from before said coldly, and the Doctor sighed.

"You lot are so unwelcoming. But what can I expect from an army of Philians?"

The alien gazed at him, his bug-like eyes calculating. "What do you want?"

"Hmm. Let me see." The Doctor pretended to think for a moment. "Ah yes! I want you lot to leave and let the prisoners go. Think you can do that for me?"

"Unacceptable." The alien said firmly.

"You're the leader of the Philians, am I not mistaken?" The Doctor demanded. "Let me give you some advice—"

"I do not take advice from someone beneath my position." The Philian leader hissed.

"Beneath your position?" The Doctor exploded, angry now. "Don't you know who I am yet?"

"I know exactly who you are, Doctor." The alien replied levelly. "And I also know that you are not supposed to be here. This situation here has nothing to do with you."

"You're mutilating these human prisoners and converting them into Philians. I can't let you do that." The Doctor said firmly.

The Philian leader's thin lips twisted into an ugly smile. "You can try and stop us. But if you do, we'll kill the prisoners, and that pretty little redhead you turned up with."

The Doctor's hearts churned, but he would not be blackmailed. "You can try, but I know that they're no longer here."

"I beg to differ." The Philian leader flicked a lever, and a screen appeared in front of them. "See this here?"

The Doctor stepped forward to take a closer look, and saw an image of the control room projected to him. He began to grow worried when he saw Amy standing directly in front of the alien that had kidnapped the prisoners.

"Not so powerful now, are you, Doctor?" The Philian leader drawled.

The Doctor smiled then, his anxiety fading away. "You're wrong. You underestimate who's in that room." His eyes remained on the screen, fixed on Amy. "And if I know my Pond, she'll know exactly what to do."

~I~

Amy didn't know what to do. She was frozen under the gaze of the alien. She knew that if she made one wrong move, the alien would kill her, and everyone else in the room.

"Hey fella." She said awkwardly, waving at the alien. "I hope you don't try to eat me, because I'm trying to save these people."

The alien blinked at her.

"Ma'am! The alien's chained!" One of the prisoners yelled, and Amy's eyes fell on the cuffs around the alien's tentacles.

"Oh you poor thing." Amy murmured. "You're the beetle's slave, aren't you? Don't worry; I'll get you out of here. I'll get everyone out of here."

Spinning around, she hurried over to the controls. "Teleport…teleport…where are you?" She muttered to herself.

Then her eyes fell on two discs that were situated in the centre of the control panel. "Bingo!" She exclaimed, grinning. "Right guys, are you ready to escape?"

There was a cheer from the prisoners, and Amy's grin widened as she typed in the teleportation code that the Doctor had given her.

~I~

"Not so smug now, are you?" The Doctor remarked, smirking at the Philian leader.

The alien leader shook its head. "Ah, but you forget who is still in charge." He reached out again and flicked another lever.

The Doctor could only watch helplessly as the tentacle alien's cuffs were released, causing the prisoners in the control room to scream.

Amy was the only person who stayed calm. "It won't hurt us!" The Doctor heard her yell over the shrieks of the prisoners.

"That's what she thinks. This Tentaclika is controlled by us." The Philian leader hissed, its eyes gleaming.

The Doctor's eyes were still locked on the screen, and a grin spread across his face when he saw the Tentaclika remain frozen. It wasn't going to hurt the prisoners.

"I think you've just released your 'pet' for eternity." He drawled. "Don't you remember the law about the electroskopt chains? Once released, you have no control over what you chained up."

"Seize him!" The Philian leader cried furiously, and two Philians grabbed the Doctor.

"So fellas, looks like there's no purpose of you staying here." The Doctor commented as the Philians dragged him away from their leader. "I'd leave now, if I were you."

"Or what?" The alien leader thundered.

"Or I'll force you to leave." The Doctor replied calmly, unfazed by the Philian's grip on him. "I've got rid of some of your colonies before. Don't think I won't do it again. So, _run_. Run, and don't look back."

The Philian leader stared levelly at him for a moment. "There is a war coming Doctor." He announced suddenly. "One war. And we're going to be ready."

"That's nice to hear, but not very relevant." The Doctor remarked, pushing away the Philians that were holding him. When they went to grab him again, the Philian leader held up one of it's arms, and they backed away from the Doctor.

"Maybe you should be ready too." The Philian leader said quietly.

The Doctor blinked in confusion, and that split second was enough time for the Philian Leader to push a button, teleporting all of the Philians away, leaving the Doctor alone in the room.

He looked away wildly, before his thoughts turned to Amy. He rushed over to the screen, and saw Amy alone in the control room.

"No Amy, wait!" He cried, just as he watched her teleport away.

Suddenly there was a loud crash, and the Doctor could only watch the screen in horror as the Tentaclika burst out of the control room and out into the water, sending water flooding in.

"Right," The Doctor muttered to himself, whirling around and heading towards the door. "If my calculations are correct…this room will be completely flooded in eleven minutes and…twenty…nineteen…eighteen…"

As soon as he opened the door to enter the rest of the base, he saw water barrelling towards him. "Okay, I really need to work on my calculations." He hissed, slamming the door again.

Although he could swim underwater, the chemicals in the water would weaken him instantly, due to the Tentaclika's presence in the water.

The Doctor began to secure the door as best he could, without the aid of his sonic screwdriver. "Come on Pond!" He muttered, deadlocking the door. "I need you to be the hero for once."

~I~

After travelling by teleportation disc, Amy decided she preferred the TARDIS. At least she didn't get motion sickness in it.

She, and the other prisoners, had been transported directly onto the beach, and she could have cried with relief when she saw that she was standing right beside the TARDIS. She hurried over to the doors, and unlocked the ship using her key.

"Right!" Amy announced as she walked in. "Let's go and rescue our man!"

She felt the TARDIS hum in agreement, and she began to type in the teleportation code to get back to the base.

~I~

Although the Doctor had locked the door, he had forgotten that water could seep underneath it. Cursing to himself in Galifreyan, he began to mop up the water with his tweed jacket.

He soon realised that action was useless, and as he backed away from the water, he heard the TARDIS appear behind him.

Grinning, he spun around and burst in through the doors, only to see Amy beaming at him from beside the console.

Throwing his sodden jacket aside, he strode up to her and flicked one of the levers in the console, taking the TARDIS to another part of the Universe. As he put the TARDIS on autopilot, he heard Amy giggle.

"So, how did I do?" She asked him playfully.

"You did pretty damn well Pond."

The Doctor opened his arms out to her, and Amy rushed forward, beaming. He swept her into his embrace and crushed her against him, peppering her face with kisses. Amy ended up grabbing his face and crushing her lips to his, and the Doctor sighed against her parted mouth.

Then he lifted her up into his arms and carried her up the console stairs, along the corridor, into the sheets of his bed, and into bliss.

* * *

**Warning: The next few chapters are going to be drama-free (well, a bit) and fluffy. OH...and the moment you've been waiting for is coming...DUH...DUH...DUNNNN!**

**Review for a previewwwwwww!**

**:D**

**Hayley x**


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm so sorry that I didn't reply to your reviews; fanfiction won't display my inbox, and I don't know why. **

**On a happier note, 700 REVIEWS! Are you kidding me? I'm speechless! Thank you so much!**

**To express my gratitude, here's a nice, drama-free chapter for you...and I think you all will like it ;D**

* * *

When two people are in love, it's said that they can feel the other's presence, even when they're not beside each other.

Amy had never believed that, until she rolled over and felt that the bed she shared with the Doctor was empty. But she wasn't alone, because she could feel the Doctor watching her, even though her eyes were closed.

"Are you going to stand there and stare at me like a stalker, or are you coming back to bed?" She whispered.

The Doctor jumped slightly, not realising that she was awake. "Sorry Pond. I was just watching you sleep."

"From way over there?" Amy asked, opening her eyes to see the Doctor sitting on the recliner on the other side of their bedroom.

The Doctor rose and bounded back over to the bed. "As much as I'd love to lay with you all day, there are planets to visit…aliens to see…illegal things to do—"

"Illegal, huh?" Amy replied, grabbing his hands and pulling him on top of her. "What illegal things do you have in mind?"

"The usual." The Doctor grinned, his face lighting up. "Breaking-and-entering, thieving, threatening alien leaders…" He trailed off when he saw Amy frown.

"Shouldn't we go back to the island first?" She asked him quietly, running her hands up and down his chest slowly. "I mean, we didn't even see if the prisoners got back to their planets safely."

"I think Tentaclika will help them out." The Doctor said softly, smiling.

"Tenta who?"

"The tentacle alien. Tentaclika is it's actual name."

Amy wrinkled her nose. "The alien that tried to take me from my hotel room. How could I forget?"

The Doctor laughed, and tapped her nose with his finger. "Ah, but you have clearly forgotten that Tentaclika allowed you and the other prisoners to live, remember?"

"How did you know that?"

The Doctor winked at her, and kissed her quickly on the mouth. "Now that Pond, would be telling." He said mysteriously, pulling himself up and leaping off of the bed.

"Where are you going?" Amy whined, reaching out for him. "Can't we stay in this bed all day?"

The Doctor paused in their bedroom doorway, and turned around to grin at her. "Nah. Where's the fun in that?"

"You can do lots of fun things in a bed." Amy replied, quirking her eyebrow at him.

"Oh really?" The Doctor questioned, leaning against the doorframe and folding his arms.

"Yes, really." Amy replied, sitting up in bed. "For example, there's—"

She was suddenly interrupted by the phone ringing. "Hang on." She muttered, reaching under the bed for the phone. "Hello?"

The Doctor then had to cover his ears, for Amy screamed and began to bounce up and down on the bed. "You're kidding me!" She shrieked into the phone.

"Who is it?" The Doctor asked her, but Amy threw a pillow at him to shut him up.

"We'll be there. Now! Love you! Bye!" Hanging up the phone, she tossed it aside and began to clap her hands excitedly.

"What's got you so excited?" The Doctor asked in bewilderment. "Has my Tetraphylis been dispatched yet?"

Amy looked at him strangely. "I'm not even going to ask what that is…or how it's going to be delivered here. Anyway, shut up about your Tetra thingy…Rory and Hannah are getting married!"

"About time!" The Doctor exclaimed happily. "I knew they would get married someday. When?"

Amy rolled her eyes at him. "Now! Duh! We're in a Time Machine, let's go to their wedding now!"

The Doctor looked at the bed, and then back at her. "So I assume you don't want to stay in bed anymore?"

Amy's response was another pillow thrown at his head.

"Didn't think so."

~I~

"Amy, there is nothing wrong with wearing a bowtie for the wedding." The Doctor grumbled in exasperation as Amy flung a tie at him. "The TARDIS even gave me a white one to go with my tuxedo."

"Yes, but a normal tie will look better!" She exclaimed, catching the tie that the Doctor threw back at her. "So wear it!"

The Doctor was silent for a moment, and Amy thought she had won…until he suddenly bolted out of the wardrobe and out of sight.

"Hey mister! Get back here!" She yelled after him.

"You can't make me!" She heard him yell back.

Amy sighed and tossed the tie aside. "Fine! Have it your way!"

She couldn't help but laugh when she heard the Doctor whoop in victory. Smiling, she turned to face the mirror and began to pile her hair on top of her head.

"Are you nearly ready?" She heard the Doctor call a few moments later, and she stepped out of the wardrobe into the TARDIS corridor.

"I'm coming now, Mr Impatient!" She called back, walking towards the console room.

"Good! Because we've already landed, and I would rather like to…" But the Doctor broke off when Amy stepped out into the console room.

"See something you like?" She asked him teasingly, twirling around for him.

"Many things." He breathed, stepping forward and cupping her face in his hands. "I'm going to be the luckiest alien in the church today."

Amy laughed lightly and slipped her arms around his waist. "Well, you are the only alien…so…"

"Nope." The Doctor chuckled, resting his forehead against hers. "You're all aliens too, remember? At least to me."

"Okay, but you still won't be the luckiest alien in the room." Amy told him softly.

"Oh? How come?"

"Because I feel pretty lucky to be with you as well. Maybe more so than you." Amy tilted her head and pressed her lips tenderly to his.

"Shall we just agree that we're both the luckiest aliens today?" The Doctor murmured, as they broke apart.

"Deal."

~I~

When Amy and the Doctor arrived at the Leadworth church, they realised they were late when they heard Rory and Hannah exchanging their vows from inside the church.

"We're going to have to sneak in unnoticed." Amy whispered to the Doctor, opening the church door as quietly as she could. "We shouldn't disrupt their wedding."

"Gotcha." The Doctor agreed, stepping into the church, Amy following him in.

Unfortunately, the Doctor didn't fully understand the word 'unnoticed', for as soon as he saw Rory and Hannah at the altar, he yelled, "Rory! Hannah! Sorry we're late!"

"Doctor!" Amy hissed, latching onto his tuxedo jacket and attempting to shove him into one of the pews. "Sit down!"

But the Doctor pushed her away and charged down the aisle towards the bemused couple. "Have I missed the good part yet?" He called, skidding to a stop in front of them.

Rory beamed at him, and released Hannah's hands to embrace the Doctor. "I don't know what good part you're on about, but we've barely started." He told him, chuckling.

"That's okay then!" The Doctor said cheerfully, releasing him and turning to kiss Hannah on the cheek. "Where's my seat?"

Amy appeared next to him then, and smiled hesitantly at the couple. "Sorry about him. I don't think he understands the term, 'sneaking in'." She sighed.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just so glad you're both here." Rory said warmly, hugging Amy. "We saved you the best seats." He nodded to the front pew, and the Doctor sat down immediately, pulling Amy down with him.

"You two carry on, we'll shut up now." He said, grinning.

Rory and Hannah laughed, before turning back to face the vicar. Ignoring the stares of the other wedding guests, Amy smacked the Doctor's leg for interrupting their friend's wedding.

The Doctor shot her a confused look, now choosing to be quiet.

Amy just shook her head at him, before smiling and leaning into his side.

~I~

As soon as the wedding was over, the guests followed Rory and Hannah to the Reception Hall, which was conveniently placed opposite the church.

As the guests lavished their attention on the newlywed couple, the Doctor and Amy walked over to the food table and examined the platters of food.

"There's custard, but I don't think there's any fish fingers." The Doctor said sadly, and Amy laughed.

"At a reception? No way. You'll have to eat normally tonight." She told him.

The Doctor sighed theatrically, before picking up the bowl of custard. "I suppose I'll just have to eat it like this then."

Amy laughed again as the Doctor picked up a spoon and began to eat the custard.

"So, did you like the wedding?" She asked him a few moments later.

The Doctor nodded eagerly, and swallowed his mouthful of custard. "Absolutely. But I always love weddings. Especially the wedding dancing. I'll have to show you some of my moves later."

"Looking forward to it." Amy replied, smirking at the image of the Doctor dancing, before her thoughts turned in a different direction. "Hey Doctor, I thought of something to ask you in the Church."

"Shoot." The Doctor said, scooping up a spoonful of custard. "Just don't shoot me."

"I…was…wondering if you've ever been married." Amy said hesitantly.

The Doctor was silent for a moment. "Yes. A very, very long time ago." He said finally. "When I was a lot younger than I am now."

Amy sensed his reluctance to talk about it, but she had to ask him some more questions. "What happened to your wife?"

"My wife…and my children are dead. They were killed in the Time War, about eight hundred and fifty years ago."

Amy placed her hand on his arm comfortingly, unable to do anything else when the Doctor was holding a large bowl of custard. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

The Doctor gave her a lopsided smile. "S'okay. It happened a long time ago. I've grieved for years, and now, it's time to move on."

"So you've thought about marrying again?"

The words were out before Amy could stop them, and the Doctor began to choke on the custard he'd just placed in his mouth.

"What?" He spluttered. "What?"

Amy began to slap him on the back, concealing her grin from him, all of the while thinking of the engagement ring that the Doctor had for her in his pocket.

The Doctor's choking eventually subsided. "I don't think I'll be having any more custard tonight. It's lethal." He muttered, placing the bowl back down on the table.

Amy laughed, and turned the Doctor around so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry for asking you those questions." She said ruefully.

"Don't be sorry." The Doctor said quietly. "I want you to know every aspect of my past."

Just as their lips were about to meet, Jeff, Amy's friend, popped up beside them. "Hey you two!" He grinned, embracing them. "Long time no see!"

"Hey Jeff. Got a girlfriend yet?" The Doctor asked him jokingly, thinking of the laptop incident all of those years ago.

Jeff smiled awkwardly at him. "Yep, but she couldn't make it tonight. So, I was wondering if I could steal Amy away for a dance?"

Amy looked at the Doctor, and he nodded. "You kids have fun." He said, waving them off.

Amy kissed him quickly, and then Jeff dragged her onto the dance floor.

The Doctor watched them for a few minutes, smiling, before he took out the ring box in his pocket and gazed down at it. "Now, the question is, when do I ask Amy to be my wife?" He muttered to himself.

"Doctor!" He heard Hannah cry suddenly, and he hastily shoved the ring box back in his pocket. Unfortunately, he'd been too late, because she'd already seen it.

"Is that what I think it is?" She demanded, beaming at the Doctor.

The Doctor began to shake his head at her. "Shut up! Shut up!" He hissed, flapping his arms. "It's a surprise!"

"You're going to marry Amy!" Hannah squealed, bouncing up and down.

"You bloomin' humans! You're all so nosy!" The Doctor grumbled, clapping his hand over her mouth and dragging her over to the corner of the hall.

"When are you going to propose?" Hannah asked excitedly. "Now? Tomorrow? Soon?"

"I don't know yet." The Doctor admitted sheepishly, taking the ring box out from his pocket again. "I've had this ring for a while, but I can't find the right moment to propose."

Before Hannah could answer him and give him some advice, Rory appeared beside them.

Suddenly the music stopped, allowing the guests to hear Rory yell, "Are you going to propose to Amy, Doctor?"

The Doctor froze, horrified, when he saw Amy step out from behind Jeff, gazing directly at him.

* * *

**So, I wonder what will happen next ;) Anyone want to have a guess? Leave a review :D**

**Hayley x**


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N: Thought I'd update quickly so I didn't leave you all in the lurch :) **

**I don't think you'll be expecting what happens next; I don't think any of you guessed correctly, teehee :')**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

There was no movement and no sound after Rory's outburst that the Doctor was going to propose to Amy. The guests were frozen, the music was paused, and it was almost as if time had stopped. The Doctor wished that time had stopped, so he could think about what to say.

Unfortunately for him, time almost never froze, and he realised that everyone was waiting for him to speak, including Amy.

"Well, this isn't how I pictured it." The Doctor muttered to himself, looking at the ring box he was holding to avoid everyone's gaze.

Everyone remained silent.

The Doctor sighed, and raised his head reluctantly to scan the faces surrounding him. He noticed that all of the guests wore the same, expectant expression, including Rory and Hannah.

He saved the best face for last, and his eyes finally met Amy's.

He was stunned when he saw her grinning, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes!" Amy yelled suddenly, startling the guests beside her.

The Doctor blinked. "Yes?" He repeated, bewildered.

"Yes, I'll marry you!" She cried, and she hurtled towards him. The Doctor barely had time to react before her legs were around his waist and her lips were on his.

Rory, Hannah and their wedding guests exploded into cheers and whistles, and the Doctor broke the kiss. "I haven't even asked you yet!" He told Amy, a grin spreading across his face.

"Doesn't matter!" Amy replied, beaming. "I've already said yes. Now, give me my ring mister!"

Laughing, the Doctor placed her on her feet and slid down on one knee in front of her. "Am I doing this right?" He asked her as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

"It's perfect." Amy whispered, her eyes welling up with tears. "We're perfect."

The Doctor rose to his feet, and Amy wrapped her arms around him. "I've been waiting for you to propose to me for ages!" She confessed. "I found the ring in your pocket a couple of months ago."

Shaking his head, the Doctor clasped his arms around her waist. "I should have known that it's impossible to hide anything from you." He remarked, his tone full of pride. "That's my Pond."

Amy laughed, but before she could kiss him again, she found herself encased in Rory's arms. "This is brilliant!" He cried, embracing her tightly. "I'm so happy for you Amy! Who knew the Kissogram from Leadworth would finally settle down?"

"Hey, I can't believe _you_ settled down. I thought I was the only one for you, Rory Williams." Amy said teasingly, hugging him back.

Rory pulled back to grin at her. "Keep telling yourself that Pond." He replied playfully. "Or should I say…Mrs Doctor!"

"Mrs Pond." The Doctor corrected him, popping up beside them. "Amy's last name is magnificent, and I won't let her change it. Besides, I don't even have a last name. Surnames are boring…unless your surname is Pond, of course."

"And Williams." Hannah added, joining them. "Don't forget that surname."

The Doctor wrinkled his nose, which made all of them laugh.

"The powerful Ponds and the wonderful Williams." Rory mused. "That's what they'll call our families. I can imagine little Ponds and Williams running around Leadworth."

The Doctor, who had just taken a swig of water, spat it out, narrowly avoiding saturating Hannah's wedding dress. "You mean little Ponds…as in…children?" He asked, shocked.

"Of course! What do you think happens next after marriage?" Hannah asked him, struggling to hide her smile at the Doctor's astonishment.

"I don't know…but I never really thought about having children again." The Doctor said slowly, his face void of all emotion. Amy squeezed his hand comfortingly, seeing the Doctor's pain, despite his attempt to conceal it from them.

"Again?" Rory repeated in bewilderment, and Amy shook her head at him, not wanting to upset the Doctor by asking him about his past.

Rory understood her silent plea, and tactfully changed the subject. "So Doctor, I believe you owe us our wedding present. I haven't forgotten that, you know!"

The Doctor's grin returned. "I knew that you wouldn't."

"What wedding present?" Amy and Hannah asked at the same time, narrowing their eyes suspiciously at their partners.

"The last time we saw Rory, I promised him that I'd take him and Hannah for a few trips in the TARDIS as a wedding present." The Doctor told them.

"You knew we were going to get married, all of those months ago?" Hannah asked him in awe. "Wow."

"If you think that's amazing, just wait until you see the TARDIS!" The Doctor exclaimed excitedly. "Let's go."

"But we can't leave yet…it's our wedding reception." Rory reminded him, gesturing to the guests dancing around them.

"So? We can leave now, you can travel with us for as long as you want, and then I'll drop you back here five minutes after this moment. No one will notice your absence." The Doctor assured him. "Now, are you coming?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Hannah laughed, grabbing Rory's hand and following Amy and the Doctor out of the hall.

~I~

Hannah's reaction to the TARDIS was just how the Doctor had wanted Rory to react, the first time he had taken him onto the TARDIS.

"This is…oh my God!" Hannah breathed, looking around in awe. "I can't even find the words to describe it!"

The Doctor watched her smugly, enjoying her reaction to his beloved ship. "Yep, she's pretty magnificent, isn't she?"

"I can't even…" Hannah trailed off as she approached the console, and she stared down at all of the gadgets in amazement.

"See Rory, this is how you were supposed to react when you saw the TARDIS for the first time." The Doctor remarked, bounding up to the console and swatting Hannah's hand away from the zigzag plotter.

Rory rolled his eyes, and glanced over at Amy, who was admiring her engagement ring.

Amy felt his gaze, and turned to look at him. "Nice, isn't it?" She smirked, holding up her hand to flaunt her ring under Rory's nose.

"Nice?" They heard the Doctor splutter. "Pond, your ring is the only piece of jewellery in the Universe with a saptimic stone. Nice doesn't even cover it!"

"Alright Mr Finicky." Amy said, grinning as she skipped over to him to kiss him on the cheek.

"Doctor…what are we going to do about sleeping arrangements?" Rory asked him, looking uncomfortable. "I mean…Hannah and I are on our Honeymoon…"

"Ah yes!" The Doctor exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "My dear ship has prepared the honeymoon suite for you two."

Those were the only words Rory needed, for he grabbed Hannah's hand and began to yank her up the console stairs.

The Doctor rose his eyebrows at their impatience, and Amy called, "Be safe kids!" as their friends ascended up the stairs.

Once they'd disappeared from sight, the Doctor turned to the console and pushed a couple of levers, muttering under his breath about how newlyweds should concentrate more on their honeymoon and less on each other.

Amy watched him manoeuvre the TARDIS for a couple of minutes, but she soon grew bored. "So, where's our Suite?" She asked the Doctor, grinning when he shot her a confused look.

"Our suite?" The Doctor echoed, pressing the autopilot button on the console.

"Yeah. We need to celebrate too." Amy told him teasingly, beginning to back away towards the console stairs. "Is there an engagement suite around here somewhere?"

A slow smile began to stretch across the Doctor's face. "As a matter of fact, there is. Why, are you in need of one, fiancée?"

Amy's eyes lit up at the term, and she tried to withhold a girlish squeal, but failed.

The Doctor laughed at her delight of being referred to as his fiancée, and he encased her in his arms when she threw herself at him, sending them both crashing to the TARDIS floor.

"Actually…who needs a suite when we're already down here?" Amy murmured from above him.

Before the Doctor could reply, Amy's lips were on his.

~I~

One thing that Hannah and Rory had yet to know about the Doctor…he was impatient. But they soon found out that fact when he began to bang loudly on their door the following day.

"Are you two still alive?" The Doctor yelled through the door, still banging on it frantically.

He heard Rory mutter something, before Hannah called, "Yep! We're still alive!"

The Doctor heaved a sigh of relief. "Good. You've both been in there for twenty hours; I was starting to get worried. Do you think you'll be leaving the room anytime in the near future?"

Hannah giggled, and Rory yelled, "Maybe…maybe not," before he joined Hannah in her laughter.

"You humans." The Doctor muttered, rolling his eyes. "You're like rabbits."

That remark did nothing to stop the newlywed couple from laughing.

The Doctor cleared his throat, and yelled, "Well, could you stop your newlywed activities and come out? I've landed on one of the most romantic planets in the universe, and I think you'd like to see it."

"Give us thirty minutes!"

"Thirty!" The Doctor exclaimed, shocked. "That's too long! What am I supposed to do in thirty minutes?"

"Can't you and Amy find something to do?" Rory suggested, and Hannah sniggered.

The Doctor ignored his innuendo. "It will take you two five minutes to get changed. If you're not ready by then, I'm coming in." He warned them, and he was pleased when the couple were silent.

"Really?" Rory asked in disbelief.

"Yep. So please refrain from your…activities…I don't wish to see that in five minutes, thank you." The Doctor replied, shuddering at the thought of seeing something he didn't wish to see.

"Alright, alright, we're coming!" Hannah cried hastily, and the Doctor smirked, pleased that he had gotten his way.

"Good. I thought you would."

~I~

Rory and Hannah kept to their word: they were dressed and in the console room in four minutes and thirty-one seconds…the Doctor had counted. They had even beat Amy down.

Rory was annoyed when he found out that they had to wait for Amy to join them. "Why did you hurry us out of our room when Amy is still in yours?" He demanded, frowning at the Doctor.

"Because you two are unpredictable." The Doctor replied, flicking a few switches on the TARDIS console. "If I'd left you two in there for more than five minutes, who knows what could have happened?"

Hannah giggled at that, and Rory's frown faded, seeing his new wife's amused smile.

"You kids waiting for me?" Amy called to them as she descended down the console room stairs.

"Who? Us? Never." The Doctor said playfully, grinning as his fiancée bounded over to him. "We were going to take off without you."

"Liar." Amy chuckled, greeting the Doctor with a kiss on the cheek, before turning to face the newlyweds. "How's the honeymoon so far?" She asked them, her smile almost a smirk.

"Perfect." Rory replied, beaming at her. "Absolutely perfect."

"What can I say? I'm just great at giving out wedding gifts." The Doctor remarked, to which Amy rolled her eyes at.

"Alright you, get out of here before your head grows too large." Amy said, giving him a playful shove towards the TARDIS doors. "Don't you have the most romantic place in the universe to show us?"

"That I do." The Doctor nodded, opening the TARDIS doors and stepping outside. "Now, take a look at this!"

Amy followed him out of the door, and Rory and Hannah followed after them apprehensively. Rory still hadn't forgotten his experience with the Bizzicles, which had almost scarred him for life.

But he was pleasantly surprised when he saw where they were. They were standing on a golden, sandy beach that overlooked a purple, clear sea. Diamond palm trees surrounded them, and the air smelled of fresh flowers. There were two suns on either side of them, which were both rising, brightening the lilac sky.

None of them could picture a more romantic setting. Rory shuffled closer to Hannah, and the Doctor stepped closer to Amy so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders. Amy slipped her arm around his waist, and they began to walk towards the trees.

"Where are you two going?" Rory called, but Amy and the Doctor didn't reply.

Shaking his head in amusement, Rory took Hannah's hand and followed after them.

"Do you think we look like that?" Hannah whispered to her husband a few minutes later, as they were walking through the forest of diamond trees.

Rory turned his attention to Amy and the Doctor, and began to watch them. They were walking together, hip to hip, his arm around her shoulders, and her arm around his waist. Their heads were tilted towards each other, and occasionally they'd stop walking to kiss each other. They looked as if they wished they were walking towards their bedroom instead of walking through the forest.

Rory smiled at the content couple, and looked at his wife. "I think we do. We all have that glow."

Hannah nodded in agreement, before snuggling closer into his side.

It wasn't long before the Doctor stopped, and he sat down under the shade of one of the trees. Amy plopped down immediately onto his lap, and much to Rory's distaste, the two began to kiss each other.

"Can't you two go and do that somewhere else?" Rory asked them, sitting down beside them.

"Hey, you didn't have to follow us." Amy told him, without taking her eyes away from the Doctor.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help it." The Doctor added, his gaze locked on Amy. "The island's air works as an aphrodisiac."

"That's great, but why has it only affected you and Amy?" Rory questioned.

"Technically, it's only affected me. It doesn't work on humans." The Doctor corrected him.

"But you shouldn't need the air Rory." Amy said, turning her head to wink at him. "You are on your honeymoon, after all."

Before Rory could reply, Amy and the Doctor attacked each other again.

Hannah took a seat beside Rory, and politely turned her gaze to the surroundings. Rory however, shook his head at Amy and the Doctor.

"Get a room you two!" He exclaimed, his tone half teasing, half serious. "I don't want to watch you two go at it, thank you very much."

"Stop watching then." Amy replied simply, tilting her head back so the Doctor had better access to her neck.

"But there isn't anything else to watch." Rory said with a sigh. "The landscape's a bit monotonous."

The Doctor disentangled himself from Amy momentarily to stare in bewilderment at him. "Monotonous? I've brought you to the prettiest place in the Universe!"

"Yeah, it's pretty, but it's all the same. I can only stare at diamond trees for so long." Rory muttered.

"Go home then." Amy murmured distractedly, her attention back on the Doctor as she threaded her fingers through his hair.

"I would, but the Doctor's the only one who can fly the TARDIS and he's occupied." Rory said dryly.

"Occupied with keeping my fiancée happy." The Doctor replied, slipping his hands under Amy's shirt and tracing random patterns on her skin.

"Come on Rory, let's go and pick some of that crystal-looking fruit to eat." Hannah told him, struggling to hide her grin as she pulled him to his feet.

"They're called Pristilinia fruits actually, and they're bred from—"

But Amy, who had pushed the Doctor down onto his back and lay on top of him, saved Hannah from the Doctor's knowledge of alien fruits, and Hannah managed to escape with Rory.

Amy folded her arms on his chest and grinned down at the Doctor. "Save us the history lesson, we're on a honeymoon. Well, it's not ours, but we can treat it like it is."

"Rory and Hannah will be back soon, so I don't think we should behave inappropriately anymore." The Doctor said regretfully, running his fingers up and down Amy's sides.

Amy raised her eyebrow at him. "Doctor, you should give _them_ that lecture. They're not just picking fruit, you know."

The Doctor frowned in confusion. "Where have they gone then?"

"Back down to the beach I guess, maybe looking for a cosy sand alcove or something." Amy replied, unfolding her arms to slide her hands under the Doctor's shirt. "But let's not worry about them. I want you to say the word."

"Word?" The Doctor echoed, still frowning.

Amy bit her lip to hide her smile. "The 'f' word." She whispered, kissing the tip of his nose.

The Doctor realised what she meant, but decided to tease her a bit. "Fruit?"

"You're not very good at this game." Amy chuckled, running her finger over his lips. "Guess again."

"Fiancée." The Doctor murmured, and his reward was a gentle kiss on the lips.

Amy sighed happily. "I love that word. But what I love more is hearing you call me your fiancée."

The Doctor smiled, sharing her bliss. "Well, hearing you refer to me as your fiancée does things to me too." He admitted, running his fingers through her auburn hair.

Amy's eyes danced with anticipation. "Oh really? What kind of things?" She wondered, running one of her hands down his chest towards his belt.

The Doctor rolled Amy over suddenly so that he was the one hovering over her. "Would you like a speech or a demonstration?" He asked playfully, and Amy's instant reaction was crashing her lips to his.

* * *

**So that was a nice fluffy chapter for you all, God knows you deserved it for all of the wonderful reviews you leave me :D**

**Hayley x**


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N: Glad you all enjoyed the fluff! :D Here, have some action to go with it! ;)**

* * *

As much as the Doctor loved Rory and Hannah, he soon began to grow sick of living with the two newlyweds. Especially after one particular incident.

_After an exhausting trip to the Planet Hybridion, where aliens that looked like giant ladybirds had kidnapped Amy and Hannah, they had all retired to the TARDIS for an early night. Amy, Rory and Hannah had disappeared upstairs, and the Doctor had remained in the console room to tinker with the TARDIS controls._

_However, he soon grew tired, and he wandered upstairs into his bedroom, where he saw Amy curled up in their bed, reading a book. _

"_What a day." The Doctor sighed, removing his tweed jacket and tossing it onto the bed. _

"_Yup." Amy yawned, tossing her book aside and stretching her arms. "You know, I used to like ladybirds, but not anymore."_

"_Vicious creatures." The Doctor shuddered, heading towards their adjoining bathroom. "At least you weren't squirted in the face."_

"_True…what did they squirt in your face anyway? You never explained what that fluid was."_

_The Doctor grimaced at her as he opened the bathroom door. "Honestly, I don't think you want to know." Turning around, he went to step into the bathroom, when he saw an astonishing sight._

_Clapping his hand over his eyes, he yelped and slammed the bathroom door shut. "My eyes!" He cried, stumbling blindly back into the bedroom. _

"_What's up with you?" Amy asked him in bewilderment._

"_I've just had the misfortune of seeing Rory and Hannah naked in our shower!" He exclaimed wildly. _

_Amy's tone was bored. "So?"_

_The Doctor lowered his hand to stare at her. "So? What do you mean, 'so'? What are they doing in our bathroom?"_

_Amy shrugged. "I said they could use it. Our shower's bigger than the one they have."_

"_And you neglected to tell me this before I stepped inside!" The Doctor hissed, rushing to the other side of the bedroom and picking up a large box. _

_Amy watched him in amusement as he staggered over to the bathroom and dumped the box outside of the door. "I've left some cleaning and hygiene supplies outside the door. Whatever you two have touched, I want it cleaned!" He yelled to the newlyweds._

Even now, although Amy and the Doctor were in the same room as them, Rory and Hannah were engrossed in each other. Though much to the Doctor's relief, they were doing no more than cuddling.

"I'd forgotten about human tendencies." The Doctor commented to his fiancée. "At least, I forgot about their…how shall I put it…hunger for each other?"

Amy laughed, and shook her head. "Just say sexual attraction Doctor."

"Sssh!" The Doctor hissed at her. "Don't say those words around them! You might set them off again!"

Amy cast her eyes to the newlyweds. "Too late."

"Oh no, not again!" The Doctor moaned, banging his head on the console. "How much more of this am I going to have to put up with?"

"Doctor, relax." Amy said comfortingly, moving around the console to stand beside him. "They're young and in love. Besides, you're the one who offered to take them on a honeymoon."

"What does that have to do with anything?" The Doctor asked her, relaxing when he felt Amy's hands on his shoulders.

"Well, this is what human newlyweds do on a honeymoon." She told him, jerking her head at Rory and Hannah.

"Is that it? No sightseeing, no tasting the local cuisine…"

"No. Just tasting each other." Amy said bluntly, and the Doctor wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Amy!"

"What? It's true. Besides, what do you think our honeymoon is going to be like?" Amy asked him, sliding her hands down his arms to take his hands.

"I haven't really thought about it." The Doctor admitted.

"Well, it's a good thing I have." Amy remarked, releasing his hands to cup his face and give him a quick kiss.

The Doctor reached out to the console then, and flipped a switch that would make the TARDIS shake. Amy had expected it, and she latched onto the Doctor just as Rory and Hannah were jolted to the floor.

"Oi, you two. Un-attach yourselves for a couple of hours so we can go and explore." The Doctor told them, and when they nodded, he flipped another switch to stop the TARDIS from shaking. "Now girls, how do you feel about visiting one of the best shopping planets in the Universe?"

Amy's face lit up at that. "Brilliant. I'll go and change!" She gave the Doctor another kiss before ascending up the console stairs to go and get ready.

"I hope she hurries up, because we're already there." The Doctor said, walking over to the TARDIS doors and flinging them open.

Hannah and Rory rose to follow him outside, and they saw that they were standing in what looked like a car park. Everything around them was pink, including the sky, and the grass.

"So, where are we exactly?" Hannah asked the Doctor eagerly, hanging onto Rory's arm as she bounded excitedly up and down. Pink was her favourite colour.

The Doctor laughed at her exuberance before answering her. "We're on the planet Septala, my friend."

"Any human-eating aliens I should worry about?" Rory asked warily, looking around their surroundings.

"Rory, does a pink planet look threatening to you?" Amy remarked as she stepped out of the TARDIS to join the three of them outside.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Well…actually…there is something I should warn you about."

Rory was the only one out of them that looked afraid. "What?" He demanded, his tone high-pitched with fear.

"Female aliens, i.e Amy and Hannah, can't stand on the pink ground, so they can't really go anywhere." The Doctor said, and Amy whirled around to glare at him.

"I can't believe you've brought us to one of the best shopping planets in the Universe where Hannah and I can't go shopping!" She hissed, poking the Doctor in the chest.

And then she realised something. "Hang on. We're standing on pink ground right now."

"Ah, but we're standing in a pink parking space. That's legal." The Doctor told her.

"Why are we here then?" Hannah asked him, bewildered. "Amy and I are the only ones who want to go shopping, and we can't do that here!"

"Ah, but you forget that I'm the Doctor, and I have an ingenious plan!" The Doctor grinned, stepping out of the parking space and onto the pink-brick pathway beside it.

"What is it then?" Amy asked him, stepping towards him. But before her foot could touch the pink brick, the Doctor suddenly pushed her back.

"Amy! You're not allowed to stand here!" He exclaimed, his arms outstretched in case she tried to join him again.

Amy gave him a suspicious look. "You're taking the mickey, aren't you?"

The Doctor looked aghast. "The mickey? What, do you think I'm joking? I'm not! I'm always serious about rules like this."

"Sure you are." Amy replied dryly, before attempting to step beside him. But the Doctor only pushed her back again.

"Do you want me to get arrested?" He cried.

Amy rolled her eyes. "By standing?"

"It's illegal! How many times?" Her fiancée sighed, shaking his head. "You know something Pond? You're stubborn. There. I said it. You never listen to me!"

"Hey, at least I don't take you to places and then tell you that you can't go and explore!" Amy hissed, glaring at him.

Hannah and Rory exchanged amused glances at their friend's bickering. "Their marriage will definitely be entertaining to watch!" Hannah whispered to her husband, grinning.

"I'm expecting lots of fireworks." Rory chuckled back.

Unfortunately, both Amy and the Doctor heard their words, and they whirled around to face them, hands on their hips. "Shut up!" They snapped at the same time.

Hannah and Rory burst into laughter at their identical poses, and Amy and the Doctor looked at each other in confusion, before turning to face them.

"What's the joke?" Amy demanded.

"You two! You're both as bad as each other!" Rory told them, laughing. "Honestly, I'm surprised your relationship works. You both have such fiery personalities."

"Amy's is fierier than mine, the hair colour says it all." The Doctor said immediately, pointing to his fiancée's head.

Amy whacked his hand away, but she couldn't stop herself from grinning. "Well, we all know who wears the trousers in our relationship." She remarked, and only the Doctor looked confused.

"But you normally wear skirts." He said in confusion.

Amy laughed and slipped her arms around his waist, smiling fondly at him. "It's a human expression. You wouldn't understand it monkey boy."

"Hey!" The Doctor said indignantly, scowling boyishly, although his frown quickly faded when Amy kissed his cheek.

"Right, now that the argument between you two is over—"

"It wasn't an argument." Amy stated, interrupting Rory. "More of an angry discussion."

"Whatever it was, it's over now. So, what do we on this planet? Leave Hannah and Amy behind?"

Hannah smacked her husband on the arm. "You're not leaving us behind!"

"Too right." Amy said firmly.

The Doctor let out an over-dramatic groan. "Don't any of you remember that I mentioned that I had an ingenious plan earlier?"

"I'm not doing anything that involves urine again." Amy said instantly, and the Doctor laughed, remembering their visit to the alien zoo all of those months ago.

"I don't get it." Rory stated, confused.

"You don't need to get it. But you do need to listen to my ingenious plan, so hush." The Doctor told him. "Now, in order for Hannah and Amy to go shopping, it's pretty obvious what we have to do."

"Not to me." Rory said, shrugging.

The Doctor sighed, before turning around so that his back was to Amy. "Do you get it now?"

"Don't have a clue what you're on about." Rory replied, and the Doctor shot Hannah and Amy an exasperated look.

"Hey, don't look at me like that! I don't know what you're going on about either." Amy told him, and the Doctor sighed again.

"None of you get it? I thought it was for obvious!" The Doctor paused for dramatic effect, but after a sharp nudge from Amy, he hastily continued. "Rory and I will have to give you piggybacks to the shopping centre so that your feet don't touch the ground!"

"Can Amy and I stand in the shopping centre?" Hannah asked, and the Doctor nodded in reply as he crouched down in front of Amy.

"Hop on Pond!"

Amy looked down at him warily. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

"Yes! Now, do you want to go shopping or not?" The Doctor said crossly. "Honestly!"

"Alright, bossy-boots." Amy muttered, before wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and jumping so that she could clasp her legs around his waist.

The Doctor gripped her thighs tightly, and straightened up. "Gotcha…let's go."

"You have money, right?" Rory asked the Doctor as he joined him on the pink pavement, Hannah perched on his back.

The Doctor looked offended by his question. "Of course I do! Do you think I spent the last nine hundred years wasting my savings?"

"Yes." Amy replied instantly. "That would explain the random junk scattered around the TARDIS, and the weird contraptions in your bedroom."

"Hey, some of those were gifts!" The Doctor said indignantly. "Anyway, watch it you. Without my money, you can't go shopping."

"And you have the power to drop Amy if you want to." Hannah added.

"The Doctor could do that, but he'd have one very pissed off fiancée." Amy said, glaring at the back of the Doctor's head, in case he was thinking about taking Hannah's advice.

"And he'd be arrested." Rory piped up.

The Doctor suppressed a shudder at that. "I think facing Amy's wrath is worse than being arrested."

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Amy protested.

Both Rory and the Doctor snorted at that.

"Alright, alright, can we get going now?" Amy demanded impatiently, scowling.

Not wanting to worsen Amy's mood, Rory and the Doctor quickly set off.

"Not so fast Rory!" Hannah exclaimed a few moments later. "I'm beginning to feel sick!"

Sighing, Rory slowed his pace. "Better?"

"Oh come on Hannah, a spell of motion sickness never killed anyone!" The Doctor said cheerfully as he zoomed past them. "Well, there was this one chap who actually choked to—"

He was then interrupted by Amy's hand clamping over his mouth. "Less talking, more walking." She instructed, kissing his temple before taking her hand away.

"You're a poet and you don't even know it." The Doctor grinned, quickening his pace.

"You're so cheesy…" And then Amy paused to think of a word that rhymed with 'cheesy', "…umm…Mr Squeezey"

"Mr Squeezey!" The Doctor chortled. "What sort of nickname is that?"

"Hey, it's hard to think of words that rhyme with 'cheesy'!" Amy defended. "You think of a better one if you're so clever!"

"Fine then. Easy, sneezey, sleazy, wheezey, breezy, queasy—"

"Okay, I think you've proved your point!" Amy interrupted hastily.

The Doctor laughed, and Amy couldn't help but laugh with him.

Their moment was interrupted however when they heard Rory yell from behind them, "Hey, Doctor! What's this?"

Turning around, the Doctor began to make his way over to him. "If you've found a nest of pink terefilias, then I'd move away. Fast." He instructed. "You don't know how long it took me to get my skin back to its normal colour after one of them bit me."

"Let me guess…it turned pink." Amy said, grinning at the mental image of the Doctor with magenta skin.

"It was more of a salmon colour." The Doctor replied thoughtfully. "Anyway, what's the problem?"

They came to a standstill beside Rory, and the Doctor suddenly froze at what he was looking at. Amy inhaled sharply, and the Doctor felt her arms tighten around him.

"What's wrong?" Rory asked them worriedly, his eyes darting between them and a large crack along the pink path.

It was a crack that Amy and the Doctor were all too familiar with.

It was a crack in time.

Amy's breathing began to quicken, and the Doctor knew she was scared, even without turning his head to look at her. "What is it doing here?" Amy whispered, and the Doctor had no answer for her.

"What?" Rory demanded anxiously, recognising his friend's fear. "What is it?"

Amy was too panicked to listen. "Doctor, is it following me?"

The Doctor didn't reply. He couldn't.

"Doctor!" Amy cried, releasing her hold on him to stand on the floor, but the Doctor's grip tightened around her legs, stopping her from getting down.

Shaking his head slowly, he began to back away from the crack. "Rory, move away from the crack." He said, attempting to keep his voice steady. "Now."

As Rory did what the Doctor asked, Hannah shot him a confused look, but the Doctor refused to move his gaze away from the crack in time.

Once they were a few metres away from the crack, the Doctor snapped into action. "Right, listen to me. We need to leave this planet, now. It's too dangerous."

Rory and Hannah looked at each other in bewilderment, and the Doctor heard Amy whimper.

If only she knew the real reason for why she was so afraid of the cracks in time. Not that the Doctor would tell her. Not just yet. So he continued with his instructions.

"We need to put Hannah and Amy back on their feet." He told them. "The moment we do that, an alarm will go off and we'll be chased by septilic guards."

"And then?" Hannah asked apprehensively.

The Doctor finally met her gaze. "And then we run." He replied flatly.

Rory and Hannah sensed the Doctor's fear, and they knew that they had to do exactly what he had told them to do, even though they didn't understand why they were running.

Knowing that they were ready, the Doctor looked over his shoulder at his terrified fiancée. As much as he hated seeing Amy upset, seeing her frightened face gave him the motivation to get moving and leave the planet as quickly as possible.

"Now!" The Doctor suddenly bellowed, and Hannah hopped off of Rory's back just as the Doctor lowered Amy to her feet.

At the sudden blare of a high-pitched siren, the four of them began to sprint back towards the direction of the TARDIS. Amy was at the front, with Rory and Hannah running at her heels. The Doctor began to slow down though to look back at the crack, when he saw beams of light erupting from the crack.

He halted at the sound of a voice, and turned back. He could have sworn he'd heard someone in the crack call Amy's na—

"Doctor! What are you doing?" He heard Amy cry, and he spun around to see his distressed fiancée running towards him. "Get away from it!"

Unwilling for Amy to get any closer to the crack in time, the Doctor rushed ahead to meet her. "Go! Go! Go!" He yelled, snatching her hand and pulling her with him.

They soon caught up with Rory and Hannah, and within minutes, they were back in the car park. Amy used her key to unlock the TARDIS door, and the four of them raced inside.

Immediately the Doctor flew to the console and transported them away from the planet. Rory and Hannah sank down onto the console chairs, and Amy slid down onto the floor.

The moment the TARDIS was in space, the Doctor placed her on autopilot and crouched down to comfort Amy.

"Hey." He whispered, placing his hand against her cheek. "It's okay. We're safe now."

Amy placed both of her hands over his, keeping his hand pressed against her cheek. "But for how long?" She asked brokenly. "Doctor, we haven't seen the cracks for months…why are they back?"

The Doctor was silent, and a tear slid down Amy's cheek at his lack of response.

The Doctor's silence was significant. It meant that he had nothing to say, which meant that he didn't have an answer. And it meant he didn't know how to find one either.

He couldn't even find the words to comfort Amy.

Brushing his hand away, Amy rose to her feet and walked out of the console room. Watching her walk away made the Doctor feel guilty, and upset. He wished that he had an answer for her. He wished that he could tell her about her parents, who'd been absorbed by a crack in time when she was a little girl.

But he couldn't. The light from the cracks didn't just take humans away from the Earth; it removed them from existence. And the light also prevented other humans to remember the people that had been taken. If the Doctor told Amy about her parents, she'd die. The light would wipe her out too.

And the Doctor would never let that happen. He'd rather die than let that happen.

"Doctor?"

At the sound of Rory's voice, the Doctor rose to his feet and turned to look at him. He noticed that Hannah was no longer sitting beside him, and felt relieved when he realised that she must have gone after Amy to comfort her.

"Yes Rory?" The Doctor sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.

"What happened out there?" Rory asked him. "I mean, why did a crack in the ground make you so scared?"

"What we saw was a crack in time, a danger to me, but more of a danger to Amy." The Doctor said flatly, stepping towards him. "Let me show you."

Before Rory could say anything, the Doctor's fingers were on his temples, and he was in his memories. Rory saw Amy as a seven-year-old girl, scared of the crack in her bedroom wall, and he saw the Doctor protecting her. And then he saw the importance of the crack, how it followed them, how it had taken Amy's family, how it's target was Amy…

Staggering back, Rory was thrown out of the Doctor's mind and into reality, gasping for breath. The Doctor watched him quietly as he tried to process the information he had given him.

"Am I going to die now that I know the truth?" was the first thing Rory asked him, astounding the Doctor.

"What? No! Amy's parents were taken before you knew them, therefore no memories have been wiped from your mind." The Doctor assured him. "You're safe."

Rory nodded as he finally caught his breath. "Doctor, what are you going to do? You can't keep lying to Amy…she'll find out the truth eventually."

"I don't have a choice Rory!" The Doctor cried, frustrated. "She will die if she knows the truth, and I won't let that happen."

Rory was silent as he processed the Doctor's words, before realising that he was right. The Doctor had no other option; he had to lie to keep Amy safe. "How are you going to keep protecting her?" He asked him quietly.

"By running."

"And then what? You can't run forever." Rory told him gently.

The Doctor covered his face with his hands. "I know. But I don't just run, I think too. I will find out why the cracks are here, and I will find out why they want Amy."

"From what you showed me, they don't just want Amy. They want you to follow her." Rory said, and the Doctor's head snapped up.

"You're right." He breathed, his eyes wide in realisation. "How could I have missed that?"

"Because you worry more for Amy than for yourself." Rory told him, smiling slightly. "So, now what? Are you still going to run away from them?"

"Yes." The Doctor said firmly. "If something wants us, then they're going to have to chase us. I'm not going to give up."

"Good for you." Rory nodded, slapping the Doctor on the back. "Listen, I think it's time for Hannah and I to go home. You and Amy have enough going on without us cluttering up your ship. But thank you for letting us travel with you."

The Doctor finally managed to smile. "You're welcome Rory. I've enjoyed having you two here, despite my complaints. You can travel with us anytime, all you have to do is pick up the phone."

"I will." Rory said, embracing the Doctor. "Hannah and I are your friends, for life."

The Doctor's smile widened. "Thank you Rory." He whispered, hugging him tightly. "That means a lot to me."

Rory broke the embrace then, embarrassed. "Yes…well…right back at ya, buddy." He said awkwardly, giving the Doctor a playful punch on the arm.

Laughing, the Doctor slung his arm around his shoulders and began to guide him up the console room stairs, towards the direction of their partners.

Hannah and Amy weren't too hard to find, they were sitting on the lounge chairs by the swimming pool, watching the Heartreep play. The Doctor stood back, allowing Rory to tell them that they were leaving.

When Hannah and Rory both left to change back into their wedding clothes so that they could be dropped back off at their reception, the Doctor approached Amy. Fortunately, she wasn't crying anymore.

"Hey." She whispered as he sat down beside her. "Sorry for freaking out earlier. I shouldn't have been so weak."

"You don't need to apologise." The Doctor said quietly, taking her hand. "I know it's hard for you to see them."

"Yes, but I don't know why!" Amy exclaimed angrily, though her frustration wasn't aimed at the Doctor.

The Doctor didn't reply, but he squeezed her hand comfortingly, before pulling her to her feet. "Come on, let's go and see our friends off." He murmured, leading his fiancée out of the room.

~I~

By the time the TARDIS had landed in Leadworth, Rory and Hannah were ready, looking no different from what they'd looked like when they'd first gone travelling with Amy and the Doctor.

"Aside from the fact that you're both covered in love bites, you don't look any different from what you looked like at the reception." The Doctor said cheerfully as they stepped out of the TARDIS, into the garden behind the building where their wedding reception was still happening.

"Thanks…I think." Rory said dryly, giving him another hug.

No more words needed to be uttered between the two men; they'd already said all they'd needed to say in the console room.

The Doctor glanced at Amy and Hannah, who were hugging, before giving Rory a quick nod.

Rory knew exactly what that signified. He wasn't allowed to tell anyone what the Doctor had shown him, not even Hannah.

Rory nodded back, and the Doctor smiled in thanks. Turning around, he said to Hannah, "Why don't you and I take a stroll through the garden?", which really meant, "Why don't you and I leave Rory and Amy alone to talk?"

Hannah understood what he meant, and she looped her arm through his. "That would be great." She said warmly, and the two walked away from them.

Laughing, Amy shook her head and turned to Rory. "He's so discrete, isn't he?" She said fondly.

Rory smiled. "I wouldn't say that. Listen Amy, I…" But then he trailed off.

He wanted to tell her to be careful, he wanted her to promise him that she'd be safe. He wanted her to promise to protect the Doctor too, and he wanted her to know the truth.

But he couldn't say those things…and he would never say those things.

"I love you." He said eventually, drawing her into his arms to hide his tormented expression from her.

Amy laughed again, and returned his hug tightly. "Oh Williams, don't go all moody on me. We'll see each other again. I'm getting married, remember? And you're walking me down the aisle."

Rory pulled back to look at her in bewilderment. "What?"

"Who else do you think I'm going to ask?" She sighed, ruffling her friend's hair. "I want you to give me away, Rory Williams. So, do you want to do it?"

"Of course I do!" He exclaimed, hugging her again. "Oh Amy, that's such an honour! I can't even—"

"Oh, hush!" She chuckled, interrupting him. "No soppy moments."

"I know…but thank you." He said warmly. "I would love to give you away."

"Good. You know, it's so weird how all of this happened. If I hadn't met the Doctor, you and I would be the ones getting married. No offence, but I'm glad it didn't work out like that." Amy said to him, grinning.

Rory managed to smile back at her, but his mind was racing. If only Amy knew that the Doctor had been the one to save her. If he'd never gone back for her, she would have been absorbed by one of the cracks, and so would he. There wouldn't have even been a wedding. In fact, the date of their wedding was the cause for all of this.

Not that Rory could tell her this. So he forced a laugh, and luckily, the Doctor and Hannah returned.

The four friends said their final goodbyes, and once Amy had stepped back into the TARDIS, the Doctor nodded at Rory again, before following her inside.

Rory watched the TARDIS disappear, and silently prayed for Amy and the Doctor to be safe, and to stay safe, for the rest of the eternity.

But some small part of him told him that praying was useless.

It was already too late.

* * *

**Dun...Dun...DUN! The Main Plot is starting to develop, teehee!**

**By the way, I uploaded a small one-shot about episode six of Series 6 yesterday, so I'd be grateful if you guys read that :D It might help with waiting for tonight's episode; I'm so excited that I could explode. I won't though, because that would be messy!**

**SQUEE! Please let Amy's baby be the Doctor's! (Though I love Rory, haha!)**

**Hayley x**


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N: Hello boys & girls! It's 'New Chapter Time'!**

* * *

The Doctor didn't know what Amy would be like after they flew away from Leadworth, so he was relieved when he saw her smiling.

"Hey Doctor, seeing as we never did get to go shopping, can we go now?" She asked him eagerly, her eyes bright with excitement.

Grinning, the Doctor began to type in the destination code for London into the TADIS console. "Of course you can. I think we'll avoid alien shopping planets for a while, and go to London instead."

"That's perfect!" Amy exclaimed, bounding over to the Doctor and kissing his cheek. "How long will it take to get there?"

"No time at all." The Doctor replied, taking her hand and pulling her out of the TARDIS. "We're already here!"

"Perfect." Amy repeated, gazing around their surroundings in awe. The Doctor had conveniently parked the TARDIS in Oxford Street, and he'd chosen a day when the sun was shining, improving Amy's mood.

"So, where to first Pond?" The Doctor asked cheerfully as they began to stroll through the street, swinging their entwined hands as they walked. "There are a couple of intergalactic shops around here, disguised by perception filters. I need to buy another yenik glass as I misplaced my last one. And when I say misplaced, I mean that I threw it against a wall and—"

"—Actually, you need to get lost for a couple of hours." Amy remarked, interrupting him, and the Doctor stopped walking.

"What?" He demanded, aghast.

"I need to buy a wedding dress!" Amy told him, rolling her eyes. "And it's unlucky for the groom to see his bride's dress before the wedding, so you can't stay with me."

"So you're telling me that I've got to find something to do in this boring capital while you shop for a dress?" The Doctor asked, puzzled by the wedding tradition.

"Yep!" Amy chirped, smirking at her fiancée's bewilderment. "Knowing you, it won't be too hard. You'll find an alien crawling through the sewage system or something. That'll keep you entertained while I go dress shopping."

"I suppose." The Doctor muttered grumpily, and Amy laughed.

"Don't go all grouchy on me mister." She murmured teasingly, grabbing the lapels of his tweed jacket and kissing him tenderly.

When she pulled back, the Doctor was still scowling, and Amy grinned. "What can I do to get rid of that frown?" She asked him playfully, tracing the contour of his lips with her finger.

The Doctor's scowl became a smirk. "Mouth to mouth works pretty well."

"Oh really?" Amy hummed, as his lips met hers. Fisting her hands in his jacket, she rose onto her tiptoes, making them the same height, and the Doctor's arm wound around her waist, bringing their bodies closer together.

"Better?" Amy murmured, breaking the kiss momentarily. The Doctor shook his head, and Amy released her hold on his jacket to cup his face in her hands and guide his face back to hers.

Of course, kissing in the middle of London brought the couple a lot of catcalls from people as they walked past, but they weren't prepared to release each other just yet. After their incident with the crack in time, they'd both worried that they were going to lose each other, the Doctor more so than Amy.

This kiss was more meaningful than a normal kiss between two lovers. They could feel each other's desperation, and unwillingness to let the other one go.

Before either of them could suggest that they return to the TARDIS and go shopping later, an idea that they'd both thought of, a loud cry of someone yelling the Doctor's name broke the couple apart.

"What the hell?" Amy hissed, just as a brunette threw herself at the Doctor, yanking her away from him.

"Oh Doctor! It's you! It's really you!" The woman cried, hugging him tightly.

The Doctor knew instantly who it was. Before he could embrace his old friend back, Amy had shoved her away from him.

"Who the hell are you?" She yelled, placing her hands on her hips.

The woman turned away from the Doctor to face the furious redhead. "I'm Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane Smith." She said proudly, and Amy's eyes narrowed. She knew all about her, how she'd been in love with the Doctor and how Rose had felt threatened by her when the two had met.

Amy didn't feel threatened. Not at all. All she felt was anger, because Sarah Jane still had her hands on the Doctor. She coughed loudly, and stared pointedly at her hands, and Sarah Jane released him.

"You know, when someone introduces themselves, it's protocol to introduce yourself back." Sarah Jane said quickly, and the Doctor covered his mouth with his hand to conceal a smile. His old companion hadn't changed a bit.

Amy glared back at Sarah Jane, and the Doctor's smile faded, picking up on the animosity between them. "Um, Sarah Jane, this is Amy, Amy Pond." He said, introducing the pair.

"Another redhead? Some things never change." Sarah Jane commented, amused, and Amy lifted her left hand, flaunting her engagement ring.

The Doctor winced as he prepared to watch Sarah Jane's reaction to the ring. He had history with her, and he knew that Sarah Jane used to be in love with him. Seeing that he was engaged to a companion of his would be hard for her to see.

To his surprise, Sarah Jane's expression didn't change. "Nice ring." She said calmly. "Who's the lucky man?"

Amy blinked. "Are you seriously asking me that?" She asked, shocked.

Sarah Jane frowned in confusion. "Yes, of course. I mean, it clearly can't be the Doctor. I'm sure you know by now that he never settles down, and…"

But she trailed off when she saw the Doctor smile sheepishly. "You proposed? To a _human companion_!" Sarah Jane cried, stunned.

"Oi!" Amy hissed, taking offence, and the Doctor placed his hand gently on Sarah Jane's arm.

"Well, I take what I said back. A lot has changed." Sarah Jane said quickly, placing her hand over the Doctor's, much to Amy's fury. "New face, new outfit, new companion…who will soon be your new wife, by the looks of it."

"We should talk." The Doctor said softly, removing his hand from her arm. "Come into the TARDIS, it's changed a lot since the last time you saw it."

Sarah Jane nodded, and the two began to walk towards the Doctor's ship.

"Doctor?" Amy called, stunned that they were walking away without saying anything to her.

"You can go dress shopping now Amy!" The Doctor called back, without turning around to look at her.

"I need money then!" She yelled crossly, and the Doctor spun around to walk back to her.

"Ah yes, sorry." He said, withdrawing his wallet and giving it to her.

Amy took it out of his hand silently, and the Doctor knew that she was angry. "Hey," He whispered, tilting her head up with his hand. "Just because I'm going off with Sarah Jane doesn't mean anything is going to happen. I just want to talk to her."

Amy sighed in reluctance, but knew she couldn't do anything about it. "Fine." She muttered, looking over his shoulder to glare at Sarah Jane. "But I don't like her."

"Don't be jealous Amy, she's not as magnificent as you." The Doctor said quietly, kissing her forehead. "Gotcha."

Amy finally smiled. "Gotcha." She whispered back, just as the Doctor left her and went back to join Sarah Jane.

Turning her back on them, she started walking down Oxford Street, trying to push the image of a different Doctor and Sarah Jane out of her head.

~I~

"Wow, I guess that I can add 'TARDIS' onto the list of new things." Sarah Jane breathed, staring around the console room in awe.

The Doctor beamed, thrilled by her reaction. "Better than the original models, right?"

"You can say that again." Sarah Jane murmured, before turning her gaze to him. "Are your new companions better than the originals too?"

The Doctor grimaced, knowing what she was implying. "Sarah Jane…I…I'm…"

"You're what, Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked him, sinking down on one of the console chairs. "You shouldn't be sorry, if that's what you're trying to say. You and I…we would never have worked."

The Doctor quickly nodded, his relief evident on his face. "Definitely. I'm glad you agree. Now—"

"—But what makes you and Amy work?" Sarah Jane questioned, interrupting him, and the Doctor sank down on the console chair beside her, expecting that their conversation would soon focus on his fiancée.

He didn't say anything, and Sarah Jane pressed on. "I mean, you're over nine hundred years old. Why settle down now? Why settle down with a companion, of all people?"

The Doctor shook his head slowly, but didn't try to reply, as Sarah Jane was still talking. "I mean, you're going to marry a human! You'll outlive her Doctor, unless she's your soulmate. But even then, how can you be sure that Amy's the one for you?"

Sarah Jane paused, before gently saying, "I thought Rose was your soulmate."

The Doctor rose abruptly to his feet and stood by the console, his back to her. "Rose was the love of Ten's life. Amy is the soulmate of Eleven…my soulmate." He told her firmly, gazing down at the console.

"And what about twelve's soulmate?"

The Doctor sighed, knowing she'd ask that, and then he felt her hand on his shoulder. "Doctor, I'm not saying that you shouldn't be with Amy." Sarah Jane said gently, and the Doctor turned to face her, his eyebrows raised. "From what I've seen, she's perfect for you. You've finally found someone who won't put up with any…how shall I say it…crap, and I know that she loves you. Just by seeing you two walk out of the TARDIS hand in hand, I could see the love you have for each other."

"So why do you sound like you're against our relationship?" The Doctor asked her, brushing her hand away.

"Because you might break her heart."

Already the Doctor was shaking his head and walking away from her.

"Listen to me!" Sarah Jane commanded, and the Doctor stopped, but didn't turn to look at her. "I know that you will break her heart, because once you were in love with me, just like you're in love with Amy."

The Doctor froze, stunned by her words.

~I~

After browsing through a couple of shops and buying a new wardrobe for herself, Amy decided it was about time she started buying more essential things…like her wedding dress.

Just as she was about to cross the street and enter the wedding boutique, she spotted a familiar man in a blue trench coat.

"Oi! Jack!" She bellowed, and he spun around, beaming when he saw Amy running up to him.

"Amy Pond!" He exclaimed, swooping her off of her feet to twirl her around. "You're still looking as gorgeous as ever!"

"Down boy!" Amy said teasingly, as Jack lowered her to her feet.

Jack winked at her, before looking over her shoulder. "So, where's that man of yours?" And then he paused, and shot her an anxious glance. "You two haven't…he hasn't…"

"Oh, God no!" Amy interrupted him, raising her left hand to show him in her engagement ring.

"Shut up." Jack breathed, staring at the ring in awe. It was impossible for him to believe that the Doctor was finally settling down. He knew him too well.

"The Doctor and I are getting married!" Amy told him, beaming.

But then maybe Jack didn't know the Doctor as well as he thought. "Oh my God!" He cried, embracing her again. "I'm so happy for you both!"

Amy laughed and hugged him back. "Thank you Jack. You'll definitely come, right?"

"Oh, I'll do more than come." Jack grinned, jostling her, and Amy rolled her eyes at his innuendo.

But Jack also meant something else in his words, though he wouldn't reveal to Amy what he meant just yet. Not until the Doctor was there with them.

"So, what are you doing in London?" Amy asked him.

"Shopping for Alonzo." Jack told her, sighing dramatically. "It was his birthday last week, and I kind of…forgot about it."

"You bad boy!" Amy teased, and Jack sighed again.

"I know. But I can shop for him later…let's go and get you a wedding dress!"

And before Amy could protest, Jack had snatched her hand and dragged her into the wedding boutique.

~I~

The Doctor hadn't said anything since Sarah Jane had last spoken, and she sighed. "I know it's hard to hear Doctor, but it's true. If you were in love with me, and with Rose, and now with Amy, what makes you think that you won't fall in love with somebody else?"

The Doctor whirled around to face her, allowing her to see the hurt in his eyes. "Sarah Jane, how could you even say that?" He whispered. "Yes, I loved you, but I wasn't in love with you. Not as much as I was with Rose."

Sarah Jane sighed again, but the Doctor held up his hand, silencing her. "Rose was my first, real love after I lost my wife in the time war. When I lost Rose…it was so hard, and I never really recovered from losing her. I had companions after her, but they couldn't fill the void Rose left in my heart."

Sarah Jane was about to speak, when she something change in the Doctor's expression. He'd looked so pained, and then suddenly, it was as if he'd never been sad. His eyes were suddenly bright, and he was beaming.

"And then I met Amy." The Doctor murmured. "Falling in love with her…it was easy. Effortless. I tried to leave her, like I left you, to avoid getting hurt again, but I couldn't stay away."

Now Sarah Jane was quiet, realising that the Doctor's feelings for Amy were strong, even stronger than the ones he'd had for Rose.

"Amy's my life, and my soulmate. Nothing that happens in the future is going to change that." The Doctor said firmly. "I'm bound to her for the rest of my life, even if I regenerate."

"When did you realise that you were in love with Amy?" Sarah Jane asked him quietly.

The Doctor chuckled. "When I accidentally called my ship 'TARDIS' instead of 'dear'." He told her, amused by the memory of that incident. His ship should have been angry with him for replacing her in his heart, but she loved Amy, so she was fine with being second best.

"Wow. That's such an alien response." Sarah Jane remarked quietly, and the Doctor frowned.

"What did you expect me to say?" He asked her, spreading his arms out. "I'm not human. I don't understand or try to comprehend human's feelings and behaviour…except Amy's. When she first started travelling with me, I didn't understand her at all. I didn't even realise that she used to flirt with me; I just thought she was friendly."

"A bit of a flirt then, is she?" Sarah Jane asked him, grinning. She was amused by the fact that the Doctor had fallen for a feisty, flirtatious young woman. She'd always imagined he'd marry someone a bit more intellectual…someone like herself.

"She's young, she can flirt if she wants to." The Doctor said, grinning back.

"So what made you decide to marry her then, if she's that young?" Sarah Jane asked him curiously.

"I've known Amy since she was a little girl, and trust me, she is not the little girl she used to be." The Doctor told her, still grinning.

"Okay, don't say anything else about that." Sarah Jane said hastily, not wanting to know too many intimate details about her old love and his fiancée. "So, what was the exact moment that you decided that you wanted to marry her? I'm curious. I mean, you never struck me as the 'settling-down' type."

"Thanks." The Doctor said dryly, sitting down again. "Well, it's a bit of a strange story, really. Amy was curling her hair one day, and she turned her head to look at me, and she was laughing at something that I'd said. And then something just sort of…clicked."

"What? Did you begin feeling differently towards her? Did she look different in your eyes?"

"No. She looked rather comical actually." The Doctor recalled, smiling at the memory. "Half of her hair was pinned and half of it was curled. But just by glancing at her, I realised that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. And then just as I decided that I was going to propose to her soon, she threw a pillow and me and told me to stop looking at her weirdly."

"How do you know that she's serious about settling down?" Sarah Jane asked him. The Doctor gave her a strange look, and she held her hands up. "Look, I'm only looking out for you. Your heart…I mean, hearts, can be broken too."

"Trust me, she's serious." The Doctor remarked, sitting back down on his chair. "She's dreamed of being with me her whole life. Even now, she has dreams about having children with me, and travelling the Universe as one big family." He stopped talking to imagine a group of redhead children running around the console room, wearing bowties.

"Have you thought about it?" Sarah Jane asked, breaking his train of thought.

"Thought about what? I do think about a lot of things Sarah Jane, you'll have to be more specific." The Doctor replied, amused.

"Have you thought about having children?"

The Doctor's smile faded. "Honestly? I never had, not when we first got together. It's only recently that I've thought about it, and I've decided that I want the whole package. I lost my family in the time war, and I've had nine hundred years to grieve. It's time for me to start again."

A smile spread across Sarah Jane's face, thrilled for her old friend. "Well then, I wish you both nothing but happiness." She told him, taking his hand and squeezing it.

"Come to the wedding." The Doctor whispered, squeezing her hand back before releasing it.

"Oh yes, I'm sure Amy would love that." His former companion said dryly.

The Doctor waved his hand dismissively. "Amy will be fine with it."

"Won't that be awkward?" Sarah Jane questioned, worried. She'd already witnessed part of Amy's temper, and she'd hate to be the person who upset the Doctor's fiancée on their wedding day.

"Ha!" The Doctor snorted. "If you think that's awkward, you should know that Amy's ex-fiancée is giving her away."

Sarah Jane's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"And his new wife is Amy's maid of honour."

Sarah Jane started laughing, and the Doctor soon joined in. Their wedding situation sounded rather ridiculous, and impossible, even to him.

Suddenly the TARDIS doors swung open, and in waltzed Amy, loaded with shopping bags. The Doctor soon stopped laughing when he saw Jack follow in after her, wheeling in a rail of clothes, which were zipped in cases.

"Jack?" The Doctor exclaimed, stunned. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping the beautiful bride choose a wedding dress." Jack replied cheerfully, shutting the TARDIS doors behind him. "You're going to die when you see Amy in it."

"Oh, hush you." Amy chided, swatting him playfully, but she was smiling.

"Besides, I'm the vicar, so I'm going to be staying with you two until the wedding day." Jack continued, after poking his tongue out at Amy.

"What?" The Doctor yelled, rising from his chair, and Jack grinned.

"Duh. Who do you think was conducting the ceremony?"

"An _actual_ vicar!"

"That's boring." Jack sighed. "Look, Amy was telling me on the way here that you two haven't even set a date. Someone needs to get this show on the road, and that person is me."

The Doctor was too speechless to reply, and Jack took his silence as an agreement. "Just call me Holy Jack from now on!" He remarked, throwing his arms around the Doctor.

And then Jack finally saw Sarah Jane. "Hello you!" He exclaimed, releasing the Doctor and kissing her on the cheek. "How've you been?"

As the two of them caught up, the Doctor approached Amy, eyeing all of her shopping bags warily. "Blimey Pond, what did you buy?"

"Just a few things." Amy replied airily.

"A few?"

"Okay…a lot." She said quickly. "But you have lots of money and a big wardrobe so it doesn't matter, right?"

"All of those bags are just clothes?" The Doctor asked in amazement. He went to take a look in one of the bags, but Amy darted away from him.

"No looking mister, I have my wedding bits in here!" She exclaimed, rushing over to the console stairs. "Jack, grab the rail!"

Breaking away from his conversation with Sarah Jane, Jack pushed the rail over to the stairs. In one, swift movement, he lifted up the rail and began to ascend.

Jack could sense his friends' astonishment. "When you can live forever, you have all of the time in the universe to work out." He commented to the three of them, before disappearing around the corner with Amy.

Sarah Jane stood up then, and turned to the Doctor. "Something tells me this TARDIS is going to get very crowded, so I think I should leave now while I still can." She commented, smiling, and the Doctor returned her smile.

"Wise decision. Listen, thank you for talking with me." The Doctor embraced his friend, but he wasn't sure if he was really thankful for what she'd said to him.

"You're welcome." Sarah Jane murmured, drawing back. "Come and pick me up for the wedding!"

"You can count on it." The Doctor replied warmly, as Sarah Jane walked out of the TARDIS, shutting the doors quietly behind her.

Suddenly, he felt something hit him in the chest, and he looked down to see a bag at his feet.

"I bought you a present!" He heard his fiancée call cheerfully, and he looked up to see her standing at the top of the console stairs, grinning down at him.

The Doctor quickly picked up the bag, excited. The moment he saw the contents of the bag, his face lit up. "Bowties!" He cried happily, pulling out the packet of thirty, all in different colours. There were even tie-dye versions.

"Like them?" Amy asked him, though of course she already knew that he did.

"Like them? I love them!" The Doctor beamed, racing up the stairs to thank her properly.

The moment his lips were about to touch hers, Jack appeared. "Oops. Sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

"Yes." Both Amy and the Doctor remarked at the same time, their eyes locked on each other.

"Right, I think I'll just go and swim a few laps in the swimming pool then." They heard Jack comment, but they ignored him.

Taking Amy's hands, the Doctor began to pull her towards the direction of their bedroom, and Jack sighed.

"Okay, make that a few hundred laps." He said, just as their bedroom door slammed shut.

* * *

**Sorry if you think that I made Sarah-Jane sound horrible. I didn't mean to write her that way…it just sort of…happened. I wanted to include her character in this story at some point because Elisabeth Sladen was a huge part of the Doctor Who fandom and she is missed dearly. Don't worry, I will probably not include her character again, because Amy wouldn't be very happy with that, haha!**

**Every Reviewer will be given a preview of the next chapter :D **

**Hayley x**

**p.s All I can say about River Song's real identity is 'Oh My Gosh'. I kind of saw it coming, but then, I think Moffat's got some more tricks up his sleeve. There's a lot more going on from what we've seen so far onscreen, je pense. **


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: To my reviewer 'Faceless Enemy', you have PM's disabled so I couldn't reply and give you a preview :( But thank you so much! And Katiesmithxxx and Niro, thank you for your reviews too!**

**Now, I think you all will enjoy this chapter ;)**

* * *

The following morning, a bleary eyed Amy and Doctor stumbled into the TARDIS kitchen, dressed in their TARDIS print pyjamas, to see Jack sitting at the table, grinning at them.

"Well, well, well!" He began, leaning back in his chair. "You two have finally dragged yourselves out of your bedroom!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes at Amy as he passed her a box of cornflakes out of the cupboard, choosing not to respond to Jack's teasing.

"Nice pyjamas by the way." Jack added. "Can I have a pair?"

The Doctor again didn't reply, too preoccupied with setting the right time on his microwave for his fish finger breakfast. Amy was too tired to deal with Jack's teasing as well, and she sank down on the chair opposite him.

Jack gave a theatrical sigh. "You're both so unwelcoming. You know, I had to settle myself in yesterday! And thanks for forgetting to tell me that there are two giant rainbow fish in the swimming pool. They tried to eat me!"

"Bubble and Squeak aren't violent." The Doctor replied tiredly, speaking for the fist time, and he sat down on the chair next to Amy's.

"Isn't that a British dish?" Jack questioned, and Amy raised her eyebrows at him as she began to pour the cornflakes into a bowl.

"Your point?"

Jack pressed his lips together, suppressing a smirk. "No point. Anyway, I'm staying in the room next to yours."

"What? Sleep somewhere else!" The Doctor demanded, pouring some cold custard into a bowl.

"Nope. So could you keep the noise down, in future?" Jack asked, the smirk finally escaping.

The microwave finished just as the Doctor replied, "My TARDIS. My noise. If you don't like it, leave."

Amy stood up to collect the Doctor's fish fingers for him, and Jack laughed. "Someone's grouchy this morning." He commented, reaching for Amy's bowl of cornflakes, but the Doctor slapped his hand away.

"Not grouchy. Hungry." He corrected him, as Amy placed the fish fingers in front of him. "And maybe I'm a bit apprehensive too."

"Apprehensive about what?" Jack asked, now reaching for the Doctor's fish fingers, but Amy whacked his hand away.

"About your presence. Why are you here?" The Doctor asked him, and Amy chuckled at his frustrated tone as she sat down beside him.

"I'm the one who's organising your wedding, remember?"

"And when did we decide that, again?"

"You didn't. I decided for you." Jack replied firmly. "You and Amy are bound to fall out over the details. You argue too much already."

Amy and the Doctor both looked up from their breakfast to scowl at him. "Do not." They said stubbornly, speaking at the same time.

"Right. Of course you don't." Jack said dryly. "Look, I'm sorting the wedding out, whether you like it or not."

The Doctor gave Amy a helpless glance, and she shrugged. "I say, let him do it." She commented. "As long as it's nothing extravagant, I'm fine with anything."

"But what if I've already chosen a location?" The Doctor asked, and both Amy and Jack looked at him in surprise.

"What? Where?" Amy asked him eagerly.

"Can't tell you. It's a surprise, and you'll definitely _be_ surprised by how familiar the place will be." The Doctor told her cryptically, taking a big bite out of his custard covered fish finger.

Amy narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but before she could say anything, Jack spoke up. "Fine. You choose the location, and I'll do everything else."

"Deal." The Doctor agreed, grabbing his breakfast and rising to his feet. "Now, I need to go and choose which bow tie I'm wearing today. Lots of choices, so little time. Actually, what am I saying? I have all of the time in the Universe. But nevertheless, I still—"

"Doctor?"

"Yes Pond?"

"You're rambling." She stated, taking a handful of cornflakes out of the box and tossing them at him.

"Quite right." The Doctor remarked, dodging the cornflakes by manoeuvring into the doorway of the kitchen. "I should leave now. You two organise the wedding or something."

"Alright, but come here first." Amy leaned her head back to look at him, and he knew that was an invitation to kiss her.

"Upside down kissing…now that's something I've never done before." They heard Jack mutter to himself, but they ignored him.

The Doctor grimaced at his fiancée. "Cornflake and milk breath? Really Pond?"

"Custard and fish breath? Really Doctor?" Amy retorted, and he laughed, before dropping a kiss on the top of her head and leaving the room.

"So, what are we planning first?" Amy asked Jack, who began to shake his head.

"No way girlie. I'm planning solo. You'll have to find something else to do today." Jack told her, patting her on the head before waltzing out of the kitchen.

"Men." Amy grumbled, returning her attention to her cornflakes.

~I~

With both men busy at work; Jack with the wedding planning and the Doctor with TARDIS maintenance work, Amy soon became very bored. She swam with her Heartreeps for a couple of hours, and then read one of the books from the Doctor's library, before she realised there was something else she could do.

After changing into her Kissogram police uniform and picking up her nurse costume, she walked down to the console room.

The Doctor heard her approach, even from his position underneath the console floor, and looked up. When he saw her, he jerked in surprise, and toppled off the swing he was sitting on.

"You okay down there?" Amy called, concerned.

"Yeah." The Doctor replied, sitting up and rubbing his head. "Completely your fault."

"Excuse me?"

"Glass floor. Your skirt. Need I say more?" The Doctor sighed, removing his goggles and tossing them aside. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"Dressed like what?" Amy asked innocently, enjoying the heated gaze on his face as he rushed up the stairs to join her. He was, quite literally, wide-eyed at the sight of her, and she decided to file away his reaction to her outfit for future reference.

"If you must know," She continued, when she realised the Doctor was too busy staring at her to reply, "I'm going out."

"Out?" The Doctor echoed. "Out where?"

"Out with Hannah for my Hen Night."

"A what night?" The Doctor spluttered, chuckling. "Hen as in…" He trailed off to flap his arms like a chicken.

Amy shook her head playfully. "Not quite. A Hen Night is a night for the bride without her fiancée, to celebrate her last night of being single. You're going to take me to Leadworth, Hannah is going to wear my nurse costume, and then we're going clubbing."

"And while you're having this 'hen night', what am I going to do?" The Doctor asked her in bewilderment. "Stay here and untangle atmospheric cables while you get to have fun?"

"No way!" They heard Jack boom, and they turned to see him walking down the console room stairs. "I've finished the wedding plans, and all of the invitations have been sent. So, if Amy gets to go and have her hen night, then you Doctor get to have your stag do."

"My what?" The Doctor cried incredulously. "Isn't a stag a—"

Before he could do his antler impression, Jack and Amy were pushing him towards the console.

~I~

After a brief reunion with Rory and Hannah, the girls charged upstairs to get ready for the hen do, leaving the three men to talk downstairs. Rory and Jack hit it off immediately, pleasing and worrying the Doctor at the same time. He didn't think he wanted a stag do if Jack and Rory were planning it.

Minutes later, the girls returned, and Rory and Jack's mouths fell open when they saw Hannah in Amy's nurse's costume. The Doctor couldn't even glance at Hannah; his eyes were glued to Amy.

"Are you going to behave yourself tonight?" Amy asked the Doctor teasingly, straightening his bowtie.

"Ha!" The Doctor snorted. "I should be the one asking you that question!" He paused to look at the sign Amy was wearing around her neck, that read, 'Now's your chance boys: this is my last night single', before continuing. "Should I be jealous? That's what humans feel when their partner's go out without them, dressed like that, right?"

"Absolutely not." Amy said firmly. "I'm yours. I think my engagement ring proves that, so there's no need to be jealous. Right?"

The Doctor nodded, and then smiled. Amy kissed him, before turning her head and grinning at her best friend. "Look after him tonight Rory!"

Without looking away from Hannah, Rory gave Amy a thumbs-up sign.

"Hey, what about me?" Jack demanded. "I'm looking after him too!"

Amy's eyebrows rose. "Jack, knowing you, you'll have the Doctor chained to a lamppost naked by the end of tonight."

"What?" The Doctor cried, whirling around to look at Jack. "Is that your plan for tonight? That is absolutely…" He trailed off and turned back to face Amy, who was backing out of the door with Hannah. "Amy! No! Don't leave me with him!"

Laughing, Amy blew him a kiss, before grabbing Hannah's hand and darting out of the room.

"Amy! Come back here! Amelia!"

Then the Doctor heard front door slam shut, and he groaned. "Thanks future-wife. Thanks a lot."

"So, what do the men do around here for fun?" Jack asked Rory, ignoring the Doctor.

"Um…go to the pub?" Rory answered, shrugging.

"Pub. Alcohol. Drinking. Perfect!" Jack exclaimed, slinging an arm around both Rory and the Doctor's shoulders. "Let's go boys!"

~I~

The Doctor decided that he didn't understand pubs. He had no idea why sitting in a room that smelled of beer was fun for humans. The Leadworth pub was tacky in his opinion; with it's dated green wallpaper and the worn tables and chairs.

The Doctor glanced at Rory, who was sitting opposite him, happily drinking his beer. The Doctor shuddered as he watched him drinking the amber liquid, and remarked, "That looks like Heartreep urine."

Rory stopped drinking, and pulled a face at the Doctor. "Cheers for that Doctor."

"You're welcome!" The Doctor said cheerfully, leaning back in his uncomfortable chair.

He was about to ask Rory where Jack was, as he'd been missing for about twenty minutes, when he returned, balancing two large trays.

"Doctor, I've bought you some early-wedding presents!" Jack announced, placing the trays in front of them.

The Doctor peered at the contents of the tray, which consisted of about sixty glasses of different alcoholic drinks. "What is all of that funny liquid?"

"Every alcoholic beverage in this pub. And you're going to drink them all!" Jack told him, grinning.

The Doctor immediately pulled the trays closer to examine the glasses more thoroughly. "Why is this one blue?" He asked, picking up a glass of blue WKD.

"That's WKD, my friend." Jack replied, sitting in the seat beside Rory.

"WKD…isn't that the abbreviation for the Wilica Klazona Division, from the Sinn Galaxy?" The Doctor asked him, screwing his face up in disgust as he swished the liquid around in the glass.

"You're such a nerd." Jack commented, rolling his eyes. "Drink it!"

Before he could force the drink down the Doctor's throat, the lights in the pub went out.

"What's going on?" The Doctor demanded, leaping to his feet. "Is there an alien invasion?"

"No Doctor, sit down!" Jack groaned, grabbing the Doctor by his tweed jacket and yanking him back down. "He's drunk already." He mouthed to the people on the table next to them, who looked stunned by the Doctor's outburst. "Look Doctor, relax. I've bought you another present, that's all."

And then the bartender wheeled in a large cake.

"Ooh, a cake!" The Doctor exclaimed happily, turning his chair around to face it as it came towards him. "Did I tell you that I loved cake? Must have done."

Just as the Doctor was about to reach out and help himself to some, a stripper burst out of it, and he yelped.

"What in Saturn's name is going on?" The Doctor cried, bewildered, as Rory and Jack stood up to hold him down in his chair. They both struggled to keep straight faces at the Doctor's look of sheer terror as the stripper straddled him in his seat.

"What is she doing?" The Doctor yelled over the music. "Jack? Rory? Help me! I think she's having some kind of fit!"

The stripper removed his bowtie, and the Doctor yelled, "No! Not the bowtie!" as it sailed over his head.

And then she began to unbutton his shirt. "Help me!" He bellowed, squirming in his chair.

"Just sit back, and relax baby." The stripper cooed, pressing her lips to his jaw.

The Doctor managed to push her away, and he rose from his chair, darting away from Jack and Rory.

The lights went back up, and the punters booed, but the Doctor didn't care. "Okay, first things first. Can someone get this girl a jumper? She looks cold."

The stripper was then led away by the amused bartender.

"Second, give me back my bowtie!"

Rory saw it lying beside the table, and returned it to him.

"And third, after that assault, I think I need a drink!" The Doctor exclaimed wearily, picking up the glass of blue WKD.

"That's the spirit!" Jack boomed excitedly, giving him another.

~I~

47 drinks later, the Doctor was well and truly smashed. Jack and Rory had to prop him up as they left the bar, and even Jack, as much as he worked out, struggled with the drunk Doctor.

"Jackie, has anyone ever told you that you'd make a beautiful woman?" The Doctor slurred as he stumbled between his friends.

Rory snorted, and Jack scowled. "It's Jack." He said firmly, hoisting the Doctor back to his feet.

"Are you wearing mascara, Jackie?" The Doctor continued, now trying, unsuccessfully, to break the grip that his friends had around him. "It's okay if you are. Everyone wears it."

Jack saw an opportunity to take advantage of the Doctor's drunken state. "Have you ever worn make-up Doctor?" He asked him, winking at Rory over the Doctor's head.

"Amy gave me a makeover once, but you can't tell anyone. It's a secret." The Doctor whispered, putting his finger on his lips, before bursting into hysterical laughter.

Jack and Rory then saw Amy and Hannah approaching them, both wearing incredulous expressions at the sight of the Doctor.

"Amy!" The Doctor cried, and Rory and Jack released him so that he could stagger towards his stunned fiancée. "You're the girl I want unbuttoning my shirt! Not Lucy. Poor girl just needed a jumper." After his babbling, he threw his arms around Amy, and she buckled under the weight of his body, sending them both crashing to the floor.

The Doctor didn't seem to mind that he was now lying on top of Amy, and he sighed happily, closing his eyes and resting his head on her chest.

"Who the hell is Lucy?" Amy demanded, pulling herself up to a sitting position. The Doctor's head fell to her lap, and she began to run her fingers through his hair soothingly.

"My present." The Doctor sighed, rubbing his bleary eyes. "Bit rubbish though."

Amy's grip tightened on his hair, but the Doctor was too drunk to feel the pain. "What?" She hissed, glaring at Rory.

Rory held his hands up in surrender. "Don't look at me! Jack's the one who bought him a stripper!"

Amy turned her glare on Jack, who just shrugged. "There's no need to be angry, the Doctor panicked and pushed her away. Then he started drinking, which is why he's sort of…" He trailed off to examine the Doctor, who was now asleep. "…dead."

"Oh dear." Amy sighed. "I should never have let you boys out. Give me a hand Jack."

Jack approached her and crouched down to gather the Doctor into his arms. Once Amy could stand, she unlocked the TARDIS door, and everyone went inside.

Rory and Hannah immediately went off to the honeymoon suite, and Jack began to walk towards the Doctor's bedroom, Amy right beside him.

"The Doctor's going to be _so_ hung over tomorrow, and on his wedding day as well! Classic!" Jack commented, sniggering as he carried the sleeping Doctor into his bedroom.

"The wedding's tomorrow?" Amy realised, stunned.

Jack shot her a strange look. "Of course! When did you think it was?"

Amy shook her head. "I don't know. I didn't expect it to be quite so soon though."

"Why hang around and wait?" Jack questioned. "The way I see it, getting married as soon possible is perfect for you two. You're both completely devoted to each other, so you should be fully united as quickly as possible. You are ready, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. I've been waiting for this wedding for months!" Amy laughed, running her hand through her hair. "I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I'll be married this time tomorrow!"

"And so will the Doctor, something I never thought would never happen." Jack remarked, laying the Doctor down on his bed. "But then, I didn't think he'd ever let me get him drunk and now look at him!"

"Poor guy." Amy murmured affectionately, smoothing back the Doctor's fringe from his face. "He never stood a chance with you in charge of the evening. Which reminds me…"

Amy then raised her hand and whacked Jack's arm. Hard.

"Ow!" Jack yelped, rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"

"That was for the stripper. No one can touch my man, but me, okay?" Amy hissed, her hands on her hips.

"Yes, okay!" Jack sighed, wincing. "Jeez Amy, that was one hell of a slap."

"Good. You deserved it." She replied, not regretting hitting her friend at all. "Now, I'm going to bed, so you need to get your American butt out of here."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You can't sleep in here!" Jack told her, just as Amy sat down on the bed. "It's unlucky for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding!"

Amy paused, torn. As much as she wanted to curl up to her drunken fiancée, she didn't want to break wedding tradition either.

"Fine." She relented, rising to her feet. "I'll sleep on the other side of the TARDIS tonight."

"You do that. I'm going to sleep here tonight." Jack said, lying down beside the Doctor.

"Touch him and I'll kill you." Amy threatened him playfully, before leaning down to kiss the Doctor tenderly.

"Don't worry, I'll keep my hands to myself." Jack sighed, tucking his hands under the pillow. "Happy now?"

"Very. Sweet dreams you two."

"Night Mrs Doctor-Pond."

Smiling, Amy shut the door softly behind her.

* * *

**THEIR WEDDING IS NEXT CHAPTER! WHO'S EXCITED? MEEEEE!**

**To celebrate, let's have a party! I have lots to celebrate: I have over 800 reviews for this story and I just found out my best friend and I are related :D And I'm sure you all have things to be happy about too!**

**Hang on...I can't party just yet. Gotta keep revising for my exams. We'll party after the 22nd, okay? ;)**

**You know the drill, reviewwww for previewwwww ;D**

**Hayley x**


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: So, it's time for the party! It's Amy and the Doctor's wedding, school + my exams are over FOREVER, and it's Bianca's birthday! (wizardsinthetardis) Happy birthday! :D**

***Gives everyone a party hat***

**ENJOY!**

* * *

The Doctor got the shock of his life when he woke up the following morning. Rolling over, he expected to see Amy lying beside him, only to come face-to-face with a grinning Jack.

"Good morning!" Jack chirped, and the Doctor shrieked.

"What are you doing in my bed?" He yelled. "Get out!"

"Don't talk to me like that, not after what happened between us last night." Jack remarked, and the Doctor's eyes widened in horror.

Somehow, Jack managed to keep a straight face while the Doctor began to freak out. "What…what are you…it was the alcohol, I swear…just…Jack…no…please tell me you're joking!"

Jack couldn't hold it in any longer, and he started laughing hysterically. "I'm kidding!" He chortled, and the Doctor whacked him, not amused in the slightest.

Still laughing, Jack pulled back the duvet and climbed out of the bed. "Time to rise and shine!"

The Doctor desperately reached out for his duvet, but Jack pulled it right off of the bed. "Not a chance. You need to get up monkey boy, it's your wedding today!"

"What?" The Doctor demanded, sitting up and then wincing as the fast movement hurt his hangover headache. "Since when?"

"Since now. So get up and take a shower!" Jack commanded, grabbing the Doctor and hauling him out of the bed. "Actually, take two showers. You reek of alcohol."

"That awful smell is me?" The Doctor asked, sniffing his tweed jacket.

"Afraid so." Rory replied, walking into the room.

"You need to get rid of your hangover as well. Rory, could you get the Doctor some aspirin?"

"No! No aspirin!" The Doctor exclaimed, holding his head as he made his way towards his en-suite bathroom. "I can't take it. I'll cure my hangover another way."

"You have forty minutes to get ready, before we need to start picking up guests!" Jack called, just as the Doctor slammed the bathroom door shut.

"The Doctor, hung over on his wedding day, that's something I never thought would happen." Rory commented, shaking his head in amusement.

"Expect the unexpected when it comes to the Doctor." Jack told him, as they left the room to start getting ready for the wedding.

~I~

After getting changed into their tuxedos, Rory and Jack waited for the Doctor in the console room. Thirty minutes after they left him, he stumbled into the console room, his face white, his hair sticking up in different directions, and his suit wrinkled.

"You look like Death." Jack told him bluntly, eyeing him with distaste. "Still hungover?"

The Doctor scowled at him. "No, actually. I'm just a bit…well…you know."

Rory grinned knowingly. "Nervous?"

The Doctor turned his scowl on him as he walked down the stairs. "No! Nervous? Me? Never!"

Rory and Jack shared a look, before both of them turned to look at the Doctor, their eyebrows raised.

"Okay, I'm nervous!" The Doctor cried, fisting his hands in his hair. "I can't do this!"

Jack reached out to grab his shoulders. "You can! Man up!" He hissed, shaking him. "We need to start picking up the wedding guests and be at the church before Amy wakes up!"

At the mention of Amy, the Doctor's face brightened. "When can I see her?" He asked him eagerly.

"When she's walking down the aisle." Jack told him, releasing him.

"The aisle." The Doctor echoed faintly.

And then his face turned green.

"Get him a bucket!" Rory yelled, helping the Doctor to one of the console room chairs.

"Never mind that! I'll get the mints for his breath!" Jack yelled back, running towards the console room stairs.

~I~

When Amy awoke in the bedroom she used to sleep in before she and the Doctor became a couple, she saw Rory and Hannah standing by the doorway, watching her.

"Good morning creeps." She said teasingly, sitting up.

Rory laughed and stepped forward to kiss her cheek. "Good morning to you too, Mrs Doctor."

"Ready to get married?" Hannah asked her, smiling.

Amy hand flew to her stomach, where she began to feel butterflies. "I'm not sure, ask me that question when I have my dress on. Where's the Doctor?"

"He's with Jack and the wedding guests in the Church." Rory told her, offering her his hand to help her out of bed.

"And I assume you're here to stop me from going to see him." Amy guessed, taking his hand and allowing him to pull her to her feet.

"You assume correctly." Rory said, grinning.

"But Rory's not staying in here, because you need to get ready!" Hannah added.

Amy then began to panic. "Oh god! I don't even know what I'm doing with my hair, or make-up!" She exclaimed, rushing to the mirror to examine her bed-hair.

"Don't worry, I'm going to help you." Hannah said soothingly, approaching her and putting her arm around her. She felt Amy relax, and she shot her husband a look. "Go!" She mouthed, and Rory nodded, before leaving the room.

"Please tell me you know how to fix this." Amy sighed, pointing at her tangled hair.

Hannah laughed as she guided her over to the chair at the dressing table. "Don't worry. After the aliens we fought on my honeymoon, I think I can tackle a bad case of bed hair!"

~I~

Amy didn't know what she would have done without her maid of honour. When she looked in the mirror one hour later, she felt overwhelmed. Hannah had given her minimal make-up that cleverly accentuated her hazel eyes and porcelain skin. Her auburn hair was softly curled, and it tumbled down the expanse of her back.

Hannah came up behind her, and smiled at her friend's reflection. "The Doctor is going to die when he sees you." She said sincerely.

"I hope not." Amy commented, grinning. "I don't want him to regenerate. That would put a downer on the honeymoon, having to sleep with a different man."

Hannah shuddered. "That would just be weird. Especially if he regenerated into a sixty year old."

"Okay, gross!" Amy exclaimed, jostling her friend. "Stop trying to put me off marrying my man!"

Laughing, the two friends turned away from the mirror and began to walk towards the console room, where Rory was waiting for them.

When Rory saw Amy standing at the top of the console stairs, his eyes widened in awe. "Wow Amy, you scrub up well." He joked, and Amy laughed. "Seriously though, you look beautiful."

"It's all thanks to your wonderful wife." Amy told him, descending down the staircase. "I would have been lost without her."

"I say that everyday about her." Rory said lovingly, beaming as his wife stopped beside him.

Hannah smiled back at him, and Rory leaned down to kiss her.

Amy raised her eyebrows, and then coughed politely. "Um, guys? Not to break up your soppy moment, but it's kind of my wedding day."

Laughing, they broke apart, and Rory held his arm out for her. "Sorry Amy." He said sheepishly. "Ready to go?"

Taking a deep breath, she looped her arm through his. "I think so." She replied, holding her free arm out for Hannah to take. "Let's go and see what Church the Doctor chose for the venue!"

Rory and Hannah smiled at each other, knowing exactly where they were, and expectantly waited for Amy's reaction.

When they all stepped out of the TARDIS, they weren't disappointed. The moment Amy saw where they were; she clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh my God." She whispered, her eyes brimming with tears.

The Doctor had never made a more perfect decision. He'd chosen to get married at the same Church where Amy's Aunt Sharon had been married: the small white chapel with the crystalline lake, situated a couple of miles away from Leadworth.

"No, don't smudge your make-up!" Hannah cried, fanning Amy's face with her hands.

Amy began to blink hastily, trying to stop her tears from falling. "I'm sorry." She whispered, her voice choked. "I'm just so touched."

"It's like Sharon's here with us." Rory commented softly, and Amy nodded.

"It's perfect." She breathed, turning her gaze to the clear blue sky. "Everything's perfect. You know what? I'm not even nervous anymore."

Rory smiled in relief. "I'm glad to hear that. You should have seen what the Doctor was like. I thought you'd be like him!"

"Why? What happened? Is he okay?" Amy asked him frantically.

"Don't worry, he's fine." Rory replied quickly, assuring her instantly. "Well, if running laps around the church is fine, then sure, he's great."

Amy's eyebrows rose. "Running laps?"

"That's nothing. He also managed to tear his tuxedo, and he nearly pushed Sarah Jane into the lake." Rory added, smiling at the memory.

"He _what_?"

"He tripped over his shoelace and grabbed her for support. Thank God Jack was there to save them."

Hannah and Amy both looked at each other, and laughed. "You know, I can't imagine the Doctor being nervous." Amy admitted to them. "He's always so confident."

"I think he's scared that you're going to back out." Rory confessed.

Amy frowned in confusion. "Why would I do that?"

"Jack told me that the Doctor doesn't believe in a happy ending, because ever since he tried to find one, something spoilt it." Rory told her quietly.

"He's going to get his happy ending." Amy said firmly, straightening her veil and squaring her shoulders. "Let's go and marry my man!"

Rory nodded at Hannah, who hugged them both before stepping into the church. Moments later, the wedding march began, and Amy's grip tightened on Rory's arm.

"Not too late to back out now." He said teasingly.

"Oh just shut up and open those doors." She replied, grinning back at him.

Chuckling, Rory pushed the church doors open, and Amy was instantly overwhelmed by the sea of faces gazing at her. There were so many familiar people, like Winston Churchill, Jeff, and Vincent Van Gogh, but unfamiliar too. She knew who they were though, because she'd seen most of them in the Doctor's mind, like Martha and Mickey, who were beaming at her.

Nonetheless, they were all people that her and the Doctor loved.

And then her eyes fell on Tom Cruise, who waved at her. Amy's eyes widened, and she gave a start, much to the amusement of her guests.

One laugh stood out from the others though. The Doctor's.

Slowly, she turned her gaze to the front of the church, saving the most important face till last. When her eyes met the Doctor's, she was awed by the intensity of his expression. His timeless eyes were burning with fervour, and once he met her gaze, he broke into a breathtaking smile of exultation.

Amy's smile mirrored his, and suddenly she found herself walking faster, no longer walking in time with the wedding march. The Doctor laughed again, not surprised that she'd broken tradition; after all, this _was_ Amy Pond.

Finally, she was standing beside him, and Rory placed her hand in the Doctor's, before backing away to stand beside him.

"You look magnificent." The Doctor whispered, leaning in to rest his forehead against hers. He ached to do more, but knew he couldn't.

Amy smiled at him, and reached up to cup his face with her hands. "I was about to say the same."

Grinning, the Doctor leaned back and turned his head to face Jack, who was standing at the podium in front of them.

"Well, I know I'm supposed to start this thing off with 'in the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,' but that sounds rubbish, so I'm going to change things slightly." Jack began, rubbing his hands together briskly.

The Doctor met Amy's gaze, and he rolled his eyes. Amy tried to stifle her laughter, but failed.

"So, in the presence of a celebrity, old friends, and 'the nose'—" Jack turned to look at Rory pointedly, who laughed despite the insult— "We have come together to witness the marriage of Amelia Jessica Pond, and…am I really supposed to say the Doctor?"

"Jack, if I told everyone here my real name, they'd all cry." The Doctor told him quietly, frowning slightly. Amy squeezed his hand, and his frown instantly faded.

"Fine then. Where was I? Ah yes, we have come together to share their joy on this day, and to celebrate their love." Jack continued, straightening his vicar collar.

At that, Amy and the Doctor turned their heads to beam at each other.

"First, I suppose I've got to ask this. If there is anyone here who knows a reason for why these two can't get married, say it now. Though if you do, I'll kick your backside." Jack said threateningly, pointing at Sarah Jane, and then at Jeff, much to everyone's amusement.

No one spoke up, and Amy smiled in relief. But then she caught Vincent's gaze, and she was stunned to see that he looked worried.

When Vincent saw her looking at him, his face brightened and he smiled warmly at her.

"Thank Christ for that. Excuse the pun." Jack commented, and the guests laughed. "So, are you two ready for this?"

"Duh." Amy remarked, turning away from Vincent and gesturing to her dress.

"Just get on with it." The Doctor said fondly, grinning at his friend.

"Right then. Doctor, will you take Amelia Jessica Pond to be your wife?" Jack asked them, as Amy and the Doctor turned to face each other. "Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her,

and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

The Doctor took both of Amy's hands, and brought one of them up to his lips. "I will." He murmured, before planting a soft kiss on the back of her hand.

"Amelia Jessica Pond, will you take the Doctor to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I will." She whispered proudly, beaming.

"Now you lot, as their friends and family, will you support them and uphold them in their marriage, for year to come?" Jack asked their wedding guests, looking at them expectantly.

"We will." Everyone said, and Jack nodded.

"Okay, good. Now we've got all of the boring stuff out of the way, show me the rings." He snapped his fingers, and Rory took the Doctor's wedding ring for Amy out of his pocket. "Please tell me you two have vows because I can't remember what I'm supposed to say. "

Chuckling, the Doctor took the ring from Rory and turned to face Amy again. "Amelia Jessica Pond. A fairytale name." He began, smiling softly. "Sometimes my life feels too good to be true. How did I find you? How did I deserve to find you?"

Amy shook her head in disagreement, but couldn't stop herself from blushing.

"I thought the rest of my life would be bleak." The Doctor admitted, bowing his head. "But, then I found you." He looked up, and met her gaze, beaming. "You've filled my endless days with light, and you've made me feel hope, for the first time in a long time. I love you Amy Pond, I love you so much. This I vow today." He finished his vows by slipping the wedding ring onto her finger.

Amy had tears in her eyes, and one fell as the Doctor slid the ring onto her finger. Smiling, the Doctor reached up and tenderly wiped it away.

"Your turn Amy." Jack reminded her softly.

Amy took a deep breath, and met the Doctor's fervent gaze. "You say that my name is a fairytale, but I think our life is a fairytale. I was a seven year old girl when my handsome prince fell out of the sky in a blue box, and I spent my whole life waiting for him to come back."

The Doctor winced at that, knowing that he'd failed her, and Amy placed her hand on his cheek, soothing him. "And you did. The life we've built together…it _is_ a fairytale. I'm marrying my handsome prince. You're the one person in my life who gave me hope, gave me comfort, and I will love you, until the end of time. This I vow today." She turned to Hannah to take the Doctor's wedding ring, and slipped it onto his finger.

As Amy and the Doctor beamed at each other, Jack had to mop tears from his eyes. "That was beautiful!" He exclaimed, his voice choked with emotion. "I'm so happy and proud to announce you both as husband and wife!"

They'd done it. They were married. Amelia Jessica Pond was finally married to her Raggedy Doctor.

"Kiss your bride Doctor!" Jack commanded, grinning.

The Doctor lifted his hands to cradle his wife's face gently, and he leaned forward. The moment their lips touched, their friends exploded into cheers and applause, but they didn't break apart. Amy slid her arms around his neck, pressing their bodies together, and they heard Jack cough loudly.

"Save it for the honeymoon guys!" He laughed, stepping forward to separate them.

The moment they were apart, their guests surrounded them, cheering and yelling their congratulations. In the crowds of people, the Doctor's hand managed to find Amy's, and they held onto each other as their friends smothered them.

~I~

Once they'd talked to everyone, Jack led them outside of the Church, where tables and chairs had been set up beside the lake, underneath a gazebo. There was even a makeshift dance floor, and Amy beamed as she saw how romantic the reception looked, with the twinkling fairy lights and the sunset, that lit up the lake.

The Doctor however wasn't very happy, because he'd just seen the state of his TARDIS, which was covered in wedding banners and balloons. There were even tin cans hanging off of it, with the words 'Just Married' spray painted on them. "Oh dear." He sighed, surveying the monstrosity. "Jack, what did you do to my poor ship?"

"I pimped it." He replied, guiding them towards the table at the top. "Don't you like it?"

"No." The Doctor said flatly.

"I like it." Amy spoke up, shrugging. "It's like the TARDIS got to dress up too."

The Doctor laughed, and the two sat down at the table. Jack sat down beside the Doctor, and Rory and Hannah sat beside Amy, giving her the central seat at the table.

"Before we eat, I've got a speech." Jack told the four of them, rising to his feet.

Groaning, the Doctor rested his head on the table, and Amy rubbed his back soothingly. "Don't worry, it's only Jack. What's the worst he could say?" She whispered to him.

The Doctor lifted his head to look at her incredulously.

And then Amy remembered who was talking. "Oh. Okay then, don't listen to me. Worry."

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Jack bellowed over the noise of the wedding guests, and everyone fell silent. "Thank you. I'd just like to say a few words about my two best friends."

"Here we go." The Doctor muttered, and Amy laughed.

"First of all, congratulations you two! Who knew a nine hundred year old alien would marry a twenty-two year old girl? Pervert." Jack began, and the Doctor groaned again.

"I'm kidding…well, only about the pervert part. I never, in all of eternity, thought you'd get married. And I never thought you'd settle down with a companion, of all people."

"Should I be offended by that?" Amy whispered to the Doctor, who laughed.

"Of course not Amy." Jack said, overhearing her. "You're stunning. The Doctor doesn't even deserve you! Again, I'm kidding. When I look at you two, God, I'm jealous. You both radiate happiness. You're glowing with it! Seeing you two gives me hope that one day everyone here will find their soulmate too. I'm lucky because I already have mine." He paused to wave at Alonzo, who was sitting at the table in front of them.

"I wish you both all of the things that I wish for myself." Jack said sincerely, turning to his newlywed friends. "Oh, except for the amazing sex with Alonzo."

Alonzo blushed and sank down in his seat, and Jack laughed. "And before I forget…shotgun godfather!" He yelled, pointing at Amy and the Doctor.

Now it was their turn to get flustered, and Rory muttered, "Damn!", wanting to be godfather to their future children too.

"That's all I've got to say folks, so here's a toast to my best friends!" Jack finished, raising a glass of champagne.

"Here here!" The wedding guests cheered, raising their glasses too. Amy picked up her glass and held it up to the Doctor, before sipping some of the champagne.

"I'd do that to you too, but I'm never touching alcohol again." The Doctor said to her regretfully. "I can mime though, if you want."

Amy shook her head, laughing. "No, I'm good thanks." When she went to place her glass down, she saw a blue envelope sticking out from under the Doctor's plate. She slid it out, and looked at it questioningly. "Looks like you have mail." She muttered, opening the envelope and sliding out the card inside.

The text written on it made her frown.

"What does it say?" The Doctor asked her, taking the card from her.

It was a message from River Song, that read, 'Congratulations sweetie!'

The Doctor crumpled the card and tossed it behind him, before looking nervously at his new wife. "Are you okay?" He asked her, taking her hand and playing with her wedding ring.

Amy's face suddenly brightened, and she smiled at him. "Time can be rewritten." She told him, not allowing herself to feel threatened by River. "I'm wearing the wedding ring, not her."

"Exactly." The Doctor said firmly, lifting her hand and kissing her ring. "And speaking of wedding thingy-ma-bobbies, I have a question for you."

Amy looked at him curiously. "Okay, what?"

"How would you rate the wedding out of ten?" The Doctor asked her, continuing the private joke that had started their whole relationship.

Amy erupted into laughter, having almost forgotten about that long-lasting joke. "Full marks, definitely." She replied earnestly, smiling brightly. "You couldn't have chosen a better location. Thank you so much."

"No, thank you." The Doctor said sincerely, resting his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. "I don't think I've ever felt so happy, being with you." He felt Amy's hands on his face then, and she began to trace the contours of his face softly with her fingertips.

"I love you." She whispered, tilting her head and brushing her lips against his.

The Doctor sighed in contentment, before pressing closer, capturing her lips in a searing, passionate kiss.

And then he remembered where they were. "Later." He murmured, pulling back and straightening his black bow tie.

"Later." Amy agreed quietly, resting her head on his shoulder.

~I~

Once all of the guests had dined, it was time for Amy and the Doctor's first dance as husband and wife. They didn't know what song Jack had chosen, which they were quite worried about. However, they were pleasantly surprised when they stepped onto the dance floor, and a romantic, piano composition began to play.

The Doctor clasped Amy's hand in his, and placed his other hand on the small of her back. Amy twined her arm around his neck, bringing their bodies closer together. Neither of them really heard the music, they were content to just sway back and forth, immersed in each other. The Doctor eventually released her hand to wrap both of his arms around her, drawing her even closer. Both of Amy's arms wound around his neck, and the two shared tender kisses as they rocked gently to the music.

Once the dance was over, their friends applauded and joined them on the dance floor, but Amy and the Doctor didn't acknowledge them.

The only time their moment was broken was when Amy saw Jack and Alonzo sneaking into the gazebo, looking guilty. She'd seen them go off together at the end of the reception, and realised exactly what they'd been up to.

"Come with me." Amy whispered to the Doctor, taking his hand and approaching the two men.

When Jack saw them heading towards him, he gave them a sheepish grin.

"Where the bloody hell have you two been?" Amy demanded, though she already knew the answer.

"We went to christen the wedding reception. It's tradition!" Jack commented, winking at her.

The Doctor slapped his hand to his forehead, shaking his head in disbelief. "Isn't the vicar supposed to be holy?"

"Not this vicar." Jack replied, adjusting his collar.

A grin began to spread across Amy's face. "Fine. Just remember that the favour will be repaid at your wedding."

The Doctor, who had chosen that moment to take a swig of water, began to choke.

"Fine with me!" Jack said cheerfully, grabbing the Doctor and Alonzo's hands. "Let's go and dance boys!"

The Doctor shot Amy a helpless glance, still coughing, but she just smirked and waved him away. "Have fun you three!" She called.

"Oh, we will!" Jack called back, pulling the two men onto their dance floor.

Laughing, Amy turned her gaze to the buffet table, where she saw Vincent standing by himself, examining the trays of food. She approached him, and tapped him on the shoulder. "Want to dance Vince?" She asked him, holding out her hands for him to take.

"What about the Doctor?" He questioned, turning his head to glance at the dance floor.

Amy followed his gaze, and laughed when she saw the Doctor explaining to Jack and Alonzo how to dance Time Lord style, which meant waving your arms above your head and shimmering to the beat. But to Amy, it looked more like a drunken giraffe dance than a dance suited for Time Lords.

"I'm sure he's going to be keeping them busy for a while." She replied to Vincent, grinning.

Vincent placed his hands in hers, and she led him into the dance floor. "So Vince, having a good time?"

Vincent nodded quickly. "Oh, yes. You know, the Doctor is fortunate to have you."

"I'm the lucky one." Amy corrected him, clasping his hand in hers and beginning to sway in time with music. "He could have anyone in the Universe, but he chose me."

"With good reason." Vincent said sincerely, and Amy smiled.

"You're a sweet man, you know that?"

"Thank you Amy." He replied, squeezing her hand. "You look so beautiful. Happiness becomes you." And then his smile faded abruptly, and he froze.

Amy stopped swaying too, and gazed at him worriedly. "Vincent? Are you alright?"

"Amy," He began, looking worried. "You're going to have a happy future…but…I see troubling times ahead."

Amy felt her whole body freeze. "What do you mean?" She whispered.

"It's too dark…I cannot see. But…just…be careful. Okay?"

"Okay." She replied quietly, trying to conceal her anxiety.

The Doctor then chose that moment to pop up beside them. "Hello you two! Having fun?"

Amy plastered a false smile on her face, not wanting the Doctor to know what had just occurred.

"Much fun, but I assume you'll be wanting your bride back?" Vincent said, releasing Amy.

"Yes please!" The Doctor laughed, taking Amy's hand and twirling her onto the dance floor.

As soon as Vincent was out of earshot, the Doctor pulled Amy closer to him. "What did he say to you Pond?" He asked her quietly. "You looked worried."

Amy didn't want to trouble the Doctor too, so she shrugged. "Nothing much, he was just being…well…Vincent. And it's not Pond anymore."

Just like she'd hoped, the Doctor was distracted by the change to her last name. "Course it is. I'm Doctor Pond." He told her proudly, beaming.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Amy sighed, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. "It doesn't work like that."

"Oh well, we'll make it work like that." The Doctor replied firmly, still grinning. "Your surname's too magnificent to give up."

As he began to twirl her around, Amy pushed the conversation with Vincent to the back of her mind, refusing to let her worry ruin the remainder of her wedding day.

~I~

After a whole evening filled with dancing, and an hour of Winston Churchill trying to steal Amy and the Doctor's TARDIS keys, it was finally time to call it a night.

Everyone crammed into the TARDIS, and the Doctor set the destination code to Leadworth, choosing to take Rory, Hannah and Jeff home first as they lived the closest to the Church.

Amy joined the Doctor at the console, and slipped her arms around his waist. "Hi." She murmured, resting her head against the crook of his neck.

"Hi." He echoed back, kissing the top of her head. He reached out to pull down the green lever that would transport the TARDIS into the vortex, but he felt Amy's lips on his neck, and he froze.

"Amy…" He whispered, quickly looking at the wedding guests. Fortunately, they were all absorbed in conversation with one another.

Amy began to leave a trail of soft kisses along his jaw. "Can't the TARDIS magic all of them home? I want to start our honeymoon now." She whispered against his skin.

Surrendering, the Doctor captured her lips in a searing kiss, and his hands latched onto her hips, bringing her body closer to his.

"None of that thank you!" Jack exclaimed from beside them, whacking the Doctor. "You can start that after we've left."

"Yeah Doctor, hurry up and get everyone home." Amy added, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I don't want to get too tired before—"

In a blur of motion, the Doctor pulled the green lever down, landing the TARDIS immediately, much to Amy's delight.

~I~

Exactly twenty minutes and forty-four seconds later, everyone had been dropped home. Amy closed the TARDIS doors after waving off Liz10 and Mandy, and turned to face the Doctor.

He flicked the TARDIS autopilot switch, and then beckoned Amy over with his hand. "Come here." He said softly, and Amy approached him.

Once she was standing beside him, he leaned down and began to whisper in her ear. Amy's eyes filled with tears, and once he'd finished speaking, she pulled back to look at him in awe. "Was that…"

"Yes." The Doctor murmured. "Now you know everything about me."

Beaming, Amy leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

* * *

***Still wearing a Party Hat* **

**I'm sure some of you are surprised that they got married 'the normal way'. Trust me, it'll be important later on ;)**

**Leave me a review; what did you think of the wedding? Enough fluff? Enough (sort of) drama? Let me know! In return, HAVE A PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

**Hayley x**

**p.s I hope it's obvious what the Doctor told Amy at the end, if you read the beginning of the wedding thoroughly enough :D**


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: Hey, I'm so sorry I haven't replied to your reviews. Life got hectic, and my Internet decided it hated me. Sometimes I wish wireless Internet didn't exist, sigh. Oh, and I ran over a nail and now I can't drive my car because my tyres need replacing. GAH! :(**

**ANYHOW. Here's a new chapter for you to sink your teeth into...not literally though, of course. That would probably hurt.**

* * *

Wherever the Doctor went, he always ended up in trouble, whether he initiated it or not. This time, he hadn't, but the space liner he was on still had found a way to crash, without him doing anything.

Throwing open the doors to the control room of the space ship, he rushed in, skidding to a halt just beside the captain. "What's going on?" He demanded, eyeing the flashing alarm lights and the speed dials, which were at breaking point.

"You're not allowed to be in here!" The captain barked furiously, reluctant for the guests on the ship to know about the crash-landing situation. "And what on Earth are you wearing?"

The Doctor glanced down at his raggedy suit, the same clothes he'd been wearing when he'd saved the Earth in twenty minutes, all those years ago in Leadworth. "That's not important." He replied hastily, tugging at his ripped shirt. "First things first, what happened to my wife?"

"Your wife?" The captain echoed incredulously.

Amy chose that moment to burst into the control room, and the Doctor's face lit up. "Ah, there you are Pond!" He exclaimed. "Where did you go?"

"Sorry, had to deal with an alien who kept staring at my legs." She replied, yanking down her mini-skirt.

"What are you two doing in here? Get out!" The captain thundered. He reached for the button to call security, but the Doctor disabled the button with his screwdriver.

"Helping you save the ship, of course!" He said brightly. "You're crash landing, and you need our help to fix it."

The Captain frowned, unsure about them and their intentions. Especially because of their strange outfits. " Why are you both dressed like that?" He demanded, before his eyes widened in realisation. "Are you the couple from the honeymoon suite?"

"Never mind that!" The Doctor said crossly. "We have three thousand aliens about to die on this ship."

"Yeah!" Amy added, tossing her Kissogram police hat to the Doctor, who wanted to wear a hat while he worked. "Why do you care about our outfits so much? We were only trying to enjoy our honeymoon when you crashed the ship!"

The Captain sighed in resignation. "Fine. Let's get to work."

During Amy's rant, the Doctor's attention had strayed to her legs, and he could see why the alien was staring at them. His reverie was broken by the captain, who hit his arm. "Focus man!" He commanded.

The Doctor jumped to attention immediately. "Yes Sir!" He exclaimed, saluting him, before delving into work.

~I~

After saving the space liner, they'd returned to the TARDIS. The Doctor already had a new destination in mind, and when he ran to the console, he saw a gift from the TARDIS.

"Oh wow!" He exclaimed, withdrawing a sonic screwdriver. He pressed the golden switch, and frowned when he saw the pink light. "Pink!" He cried in disgust. "Dear, you know I hate pink! What were you…ah."

The TARDIS hummed in amusement, and the Doctor spun around to face Amy, who was just walking into the TARDIS. "Here wife, catch!" He called, tossing her the screwdriver.

Amy caught it, and she beamed when she saw what it was. "Are you serious?" She cried happily, examining the screwdriver in awe. "This is fantastic!" She reached out to pat the TARDIS walls, and the ship hummed again. "Thank you."

"My two girls are bonding." The Doctor commented fondly, grinning. "Magnificent."

"Hey, we've always been friends. Girls rule, right?" She asked the ship, who whirred her engines in agreement.

"Actually, I don't like this bonding thing anymore." The Doctor muttered. "You two will gang up on me."

"Oh no, we won't do that…_much_!" Amy told him, laughing as she ascended up the console room stairs.

"You're going to pay for that Pond!" He called after her.

"You'll have to catch me first!" She yelled back, and the Doctor laughed as he raced up the stairs after her.

~I~

The next destination on their honeymoon also landed them in trouble, although this time, it was their fault. Skin exposure was illegal on the Hurik Planet, a law that the Doctor had forgotten about, and Amy and the Doctor were knocked out and put in jail.

When Amy awoke in the prison cell, she immediately sought out the Doctor, and saw him sitting against the brick wall, scowling.

Amy winced as she sat up, feeling a bit light-headed from that gas that the Hurikan policeman had used on them. "Hey." She whispered, crawling over to the Doctor and sitting beside him.

The Doctor didn't reply, and Amy groaned in exasperation. "Don't go all moody on me mister. You're the one who got us thrown in jail. I wasn't the one caught with my trousers around my ankles!"

"Ah, but who was the one who pulled down my trousers?" The Doctor hissed, glaring at his wife.

Amy just sniggered.

"Well, I'm glad you find this situation so amusing." The Doctor sniffed, folding his arms. "You shouldn't though, seeing as we're stuck here. The Hurikan took my sonic screwdriver."

"See, this is why you never put it in an obvious place." Amy told him, peering down her top. "Take me for example, I always keep mine in my—" And then she shrieked in outrage. "It's gone!" She exclaimed in horror. "They went down my bra!"

Now it was the Doctor's turn to be amused.

"Wipe that smirk off your face! Your wife was just violated!" Amy said sharply, and the Doctor's smile instantly faded. "That's better."

The Doctor sighed. "So, now what do we do? I don't think I've ever felt so defenceless."

"Oh stop sulking, I'll get us out of here." Amy replied, crawling over to the padlock on their prison door. "I'm an expert at picking locks." She removed a hairgrip out of her hair, and put it in the lock.

"Fiddling with that thing won't do anything." The Doctor muttered. "How can a cheap hair accessory unlock an extra-terrestrial—"

He was then interrupted by the sound of the prison door swinging open.

"You were saying?" Amy grinned, rising to her feet. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

The Doctor didn't need telling twice. Grabbing her hand, they ran out of their cell and bolted down the corridor.

Just as they were about to round the corner, they heard the footsteps of the Hurikan policeman, who was no doubt coming to check on them.

Before the Doctor could figure out where to hide, Amy's hands balled into fists, and she leapt around the corner to confront the policeman.

"Amelia!" The Doctor gasped, rushing around the corner, only to see the policeman lying on the floor, and Amy towering over him.

"That's for looking down my bra you creep!" She spat, before kicking the policeman in the leg.

"That's my girl." The Doctor said affectionately, swooping down to take their screwdrivers that were sticking out of the Hurikan's pocket.

And then for good measure, he clenched his hand into a fist and punched him, knocking the alien unconscious. "That's for violating my wife, you creep!"

"That's my boy!" Amy chirped, giving the Doctor a quick peck. "Let's go!"

Hand-in-hand, they ran out of the prison, laughing the whole way back to the TARDIS.

~I~

About a week later, after another arrest and a near-death encounter with the Zestops, who had tried to kill him for landing the TARDIS on their Leader, the Doctor came up with a brilliant idea. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before.

After getting Amy up and blindfolding her, he guided her out of the TARDIS. "Tada!" He cried, removing the blindfold and spreading his arms out.

Amy glanced around in confusion. "Why are we at my old house Doctor?" She asked, looking at the Leadworth house she used to live in with her Aunt Sharon.

"Because I thought it would be a good idea to revisit some of our memories, like this one, for instance. This is the night of our first kiss." He told her, pointing to Amy's bedroom window.

"But we can't let our past selves see our future selves." Amy replied, frowning. "Are we supposed to watch us from down here?"

"Oh no, we're going to hide in your wardrobe!" The Doctor exclaimed, grinning. "I've parked the TARDIS underneath these trees, so even if our past selves glance out of the window and look into the garden, they won't see it. Come on!"

Taking her hand, he began to run towards the house. Once they'd opened the door with their screwdrivers, and after a brief one-minute argument about who got to open it, which Amy won, they hurried upstairs and into Amy's bedroom. They barely had time to get in it before they heard the TARDIS engines whir, and heard their past selves step out.

The Doctor remembered exactly how their conversation began, and he covered his ears to stop himself from hearing about Amy marrying Rory. It didn't hurt him; it just made him feel uncomfortable, seeing as Rory was now one of his close friends.

Amy poked him a couple of minutes later, and he uncovered his ears. He carefully cracked open the wardrobe door to watch the most interesting part of their memory: Amy pinning him up against the TARDIS.

Amy had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud at the past Doctor's terrified expression as her past self tried to unbutton his shirt. The Doctor found it amusing too, and he smiled, realising just how far they'd come from that moment in time.

"You are sweet Doctor, but I really wasn't suggesting anything quite so…long-term." They heard past Amy say, before she pinned the Doctor up against the TARDIS and forced his lips to hers.

The Doctor grinned then, remembering how conflicted he had felt. He had wanted to kiss since their trip to Starship UK, but never allowed himself too. He watched as he kissed her back, and then he gripped her shoulders and pushed her away from him.

"Spoilsport." His wife whispered in his ear, and the Doctor shushed her.

Amy rolled her eyes at him. "They…or should I say we, can't hear us." She said quietly, and the Doctor covered her mouth. He dreaded to think what would happen if their past selves discovered them. The history of their relationship could change completely.

Maybe coming here was a bad idea. After all, he always ended up in trouble. Destroying his history with Amy spelt trouble with a capital 'T'.

The moment the past Doctor had shoved Amy into the TARDIS and the ship disappeared, Amy and the Doctor burst out of the wardrobe.

Laughing, Amy jumped onto her bed, and lay down on it, looking up at the Doctor with the same smirk she had given him when she'd laid down after her first kiss with him.

"I think this was a bad idea." The Doctor sighed, sitting down on the bed and ignoring his wife's provocative gaze.

"See. Spoilsport." Amy repeated, rolling her eyes and sitting up. "I liked watching the old us. Although, I wish you'd just surrendered and took me right there."

"Took you where?" The Doctor said in confusion, not understanding the innuendo.

"Forget it." Amy groaned, shaking her head in disbelief. "Well, I think coming here was a good idea."

"Of course you do. You love it when I'm a bumbling mess." The Doctor commented glumly.

"Don't be silly." Amy laughed, grabbing the lapels of his tweed jacket and pulling him down onto the bed with her. "I suppose I do love it when you're like that, but I wasn't thinking that. I was actually thinking that I never got to christen this bed."

The Doctor raised one eyebrow as he hovered over her. "Oh, really?"

"I wanted to that night, but you shoved me into the TARDIS and we never got to do it." Amy told him, pretending to pout. "I think you should make it up to me."

The Doctor was about to agree, when her alarm clock caught his eye, and he saw the time, and the date. His eyes widened in horror.

"Oh no!" He cried, scrambling to his feet. "We need to get out of here!"

"What?" Amy demanded as he hauled her to her feet. "What about—"

"Never mind!" The Doctor snapped. "We need to leave! Now!"

"Fine!" Amy hissed, whirling around and storming out of the bedroom.

Of course it was trouble coming here, the Doctor thought glumly as he raced out of the house after his wife. The date was the one date he wanted to avoid: the base code of the universe. They should never have come here, especially because it was related to the cracks in time, which could easily cost his wife her life.

The moment they reached the TARDIS, the Doctor transported them right to the other side of the universe, thousands of years in the future in his desperation to distance them from that date.

"What's up with you?" Amy demanded, noticing the Doctor's tense posture.

The Doctor straightened up from the console, but didn't turn around to meet her gaze. "Nothing is wrong." He said quietly. "I was just afraid that your Aunt would return to the house and see us."

Amy's eyes narrowed. "Of course you were." She muttered. "Liar."

She was too perceptive for her own good.

"I'm not lying." The Doctor replied, finally looking at her. "I just can't afford to risk changing our history. I can't lose you Amy." Although he was only making excuses, there was a half-truth to his words. His worst nightmare would be losing Amy to the cracks in time, which he almost came close to doing. Again.

Amy's face softened, and she stepped forward to wrap her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Oh Doctor, you're not going to lose me!" She told him, pulling back to smile at him. "You could never lose me."

If only she knew the full truth.

Pretending to be reassured, the Doctor smiled and pulled her back into his embrace. He buried his face in her hair, and let his false smile fall. He'd promised himself that he'd keep Amy safe by running as fast as he could.

But maybe he wasn't running fast enough.

* * *

**Thank you to Niro for his anonymous reviews, and for pushing the review count to 900! :D Squee! OH, and also, I know you questioned about the Pandorica in this story...don't worry. It'll happen. In a different way though, of course ;)**

**Hayley x**


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: Understandably, you all want to kick my backside for not updating sooner. Here, I'll save you the trouble... *kicks self* Ouch.**

**Life got busy again. And I lost inspiration. Can you believe that? :( Oh well, I'm back now. Hopefully.**

**This chapter involves a fez and a character I know some of you hate. She'll be important though. **

**Oh, and don't kill me for the cliffhanger, okay? :D**

* * *

Two weeks had passed since their visit to the memory of their first kiss, and Amy and the Doctor were in the console room, having a discussion. Or rather, Amy was ranting, and the Doctor could do nothing but listen.

"I can't remember the last time you called me 'Amy'. When was the last time you called me by my name?" She asked him, but didn't give him time to reply before she was off again. "You either call me Pond or wife. A bit degrading, don't you think?"

"No. Degrading is you calling me the Doctor when that's not my real name." The Doctor spoke up, interrupting her, though regretted it when she glared at him. He had no idea where her bad mood had sprung from, but he knew that he didn't like it. He vaguely thought that it might have something to do with the fez that he refused to take off since a Havian Tribe gave it to him last week, but then decided that wasn't the reason. After all, fezzes are cool.

"That's different." She hissed. "I'm not a brand. You don't own me."

"Oh really?" The Doctor asked, adjusting his fez. "Last time I checked, that was a wedding ring on your finger."

"Well, I guess that means I own you too." Amy mused, her face lighting up.

The Doctor was baffled by her sudden mood change, but didn't have time to dwell on it because her lips were unexpectedly on his, keeping him preoccupied.

Suddenly, the TARDIS jolted in the vortex, sending both of them crashing to the floor. The fez fell off of the Doctor's head and began rolling away, but he reached out and grabbed it.

"What's going on?" Amy yelled over the whir of the TARDIS engines as the Doctor helped her over to one of the console room chairs.

"We're being pulled in the opposite direction!" The Doctor called as he stumbled over to the console and examined the destination code, only to see that there wasn't one displayed. "At least tell me where we're going!" He yelled to the TARDIS, and the scanner began to crackle.

The Doctor grabbed it and pulled it towards him, expecting to see a location or a map, but there was a message displayed instead, that read:

_Sweetie, I need you!_

"River." He hissed through gritted teeth, pushing the scanner away and focusing his attention on the console controls.

"What about her?" Amy yelled over the engine noise, which was getting louder.

"She's pulling us towards her, but I refuse to let her control our lives!" The Doctor yelled back, hitting TARDIS buttons furiously. "Come on dear, don't let her do this!"

But the TARDIS was powerless, and the Doctor slumped to the floor, defeated.

Moments later, they felt the TARDIS land, and the engine noise stopped.

"Well, we've landed, so we might as well go and see what she wants." Amy said to him, rising to her feet.

Before the Doctor could stop her, she had stepped out of the TARDIS.

The Doctor had never told his wife what River had told him, about killing the best man she had ever known. He couldn't afford to worry Amy, not when there was so much at stake already.

~I~

Although Amy was slightly annoyed at River for interrupting their honeymoon, she was genuinely happy to see her friend. After emerging from the TARDIS, she saw River waiting just outside of the doors.

River smiled happily at her, and the two friends embraced. "Amy! It's good to see you again!" She enthused, hugging her tightly.

"It's good to see you too River." Amy said sincerely, pulling back to look at her quizzically. "But I thought you were in jail!"

"I escaped." River told her, smirking. "And can I just say Amy, you're glowing. You look so happy…it's very becoming."

Amy jerked her thumb at the TARDIS. "You can thank him for that."

"Who's 'him'?" The Doctor asked suspiciously, stepping out of the TARDIS cautiously.

"Same old Doctor. Always so suspicious when we meet up." River sighed, rolling her eyes. "I don't bite sweetie…much."

Amy's eyes widened at her innuendo, and the Doctor shot her an, 'I-told-you-so' look.

"Again with the fez?" River continued, shaking her head in disbelief. "When will you learn that it's not flattering?"

"No one asked for your opinion thank you." The Doctor muttered, adjusting his fez, disgruntled that River had hinted that she knew more about his future, or rather, the future of his headgear. "I think that I look hip."

River caught Amy's eye, and then glanced down at her gun. Amy caught on immediately, and she grabbed the fez from the Doctor's head.

"Hey! What are you—"

He hadn't even finished his sentence before Amy had thrown the fez into the air and River had shot it with one of her bullets, destroying it.

The Doctor stared mournfully at the pieces of his fez as they drifted down towards them, and Amy began to feel guilty for destroying his beloved hat.

But then the Doctor grinned. "I can buy a new fez." He remarked, before his grin faded and he glared at River. "Now, why don't you explain to us why you've dragged us here?"

"Oh, you know, the usual." River said nonchalantly, turning around and walking down the corridor. "I just have a big, mysterious chamber that may contain some aliens. Nothing special."

Amy shot the Doctor an excited glance, but he wouldn't return it, still suspicious of River's intentions.

"Lighten up." Amy said quietly, nudging him. "What's the worse that could happen? She knows we're married."

There were a lot of bad things that could happen, but the Doctor couldn't explain them to her.

Taking his silence as agreement, Amy took his hand and began to lead him down the corridor after River. "What's the chamber called then?" Amy called after her.

"I don't know. But I was hoping the Doctor would." River called back over her shoulder.

"Oh yes, because I know everything." The Doctor muttered, scowling.

"You do, so shut it." Amy remarked, grinning at her husband.

"Honestly you two, you're like an old married couple." River commented, turning her head and smiling fondly at them.

"Hey! We may be married, but we're not old! Well, I'm not anyway." Amy said, laughing when the Doctor hit her arm playfully.

River froze. "You're married to the Doctor?" She asked her quietly, turning around to face them.

Amy returned her gaze uncertainly. "Yeah. You sent us that envelope with the card inside…remember?"

River shook her head. "I haven't yet, but I will in the future. Didn't I receive an invitation then?" She teased, though she was only half-joking.

The Doctor refused to answer her, so Amy spoke up. "It wasn't really appropriate." She replied, looking down at the floor uneasily.

River surprised her by grinning. "Right. I see."

Amy was confused by her smile, but the Doctor decided to change the subject before she could question River about it. He didn't want River to know anything else about him and Amy. He didn't trust her. "So, does this chamber contain the Pandorica then?" He asked River. "After all, you did say that you'd see us when it opened. Apparently."

River reached out to tap his nose, but the Doctor swatted her hand away. "Spoilers!" She scolded playfully, stopping outside a large, black iron door.

The Doctor groaned at her answer, and Amy chuckled at his obvious annoyance. "Hey, watch it Pond." He said sternly, wagging his finger at her.

Amy mimed zipping her lips shut before turning to River. "So this is the entrance to the chamber then, yeah?"

River nodded and knocked on the door. "Yes. Problem is, I can't get it open. I believe it may be locked from the inside."

"Shame you don't have a sonic screwdriver to scan the entrance." The Doctor remarked, smirking.

"Thanks for offering sweetie."

The Doctor's smirk became a glare. "I wasn't."

"Oh for goodness sake!" Amy sighed, taking out her pink sonic screwdriver from her skirt pocket.

"You have your own sonic screwdriver?" River whispered, staring at it in awe.

"The TARDIS made it for her." The Doctor said smugly.

"Maybe she'll make one for me one day." River suggested, her smirk mirroring his.

If only she knew the truth to her words. The Doctor glared at her again, before turning his attention to his wife, who was scanning the door with her screwdriver.

Frowning, Amy flipped her screwdriver to check the readings. "Deadlock. River, you were right. It's an inside lock."

"So we have to wait for the aliens to unlock it." The Doctor realised, groaning. "That could take years. Come on Amy, let's set off. Call us when the chamber's open River!" And then he paused. "Actually, don't even call us. I don't wish to see you ever again."

Taking Amy's hand, he began pulling her back down the corridor, when River cried, "Wait!"

The Doctor didn't want to stop, but Amy did, and she released his hand to turn back to River.

Knowing she'd got the attention of at least one of them, River spoke. "The chamber's opening tonight." She told Amy. "I've been tracking the readings, and they've nearly reached a hundred on every scale."

Amy grinned. "Well, if it's opening tonight, I'm staying." She said, walking over to join River.

"Amelia!" The Doctor hissed, trying to warn her, but she pretended not to hear him.

"So Doctor, are you staying with us, or are you going to pick me up tomorrow morning?" Amy asked him.

The Doctor had no choice but to stay with them. He couldn't allow River to poison Amy's mind, and he refused to leave Amy alone when there were so many dangers out there.

"I'll stay." He muttered, rejoining them.

"I knew that you would." River remarked, reaching out to ruffle his hair.

Once again, the Doctor slapped her hand away, and Amy began to grow suspicious of River's affectionate behaviour towards her husband. "So, what alien species do you think could be in there?" Amy asked her, attempting to distract her attention away from the Doctor.

"I have no idea. But then, venturing into the unknown is exciting. Wouldn't you agree Doctor?"

The Doctor nodded reluctantly. "As much as I hate to admit that you're right, of course I agree."

River beamed, and Amy's eyes narrowed slightly.

"So, now that you're both staying, would you like me to take you to your room?" River asked them.

"Only if you tell us where we are." The Doctor said firmly. "Funny that you haven't told us that yet, isn't it?"

"You always suspect the worst in me." River muttered crossly. "If you must know, we're in a deserted space base on the seventh moon of Armaliata. I received an SOS call from here, so I came, but everyone had vanished. How could I resist a missing space crew and a mysterious chamber? I knew that I needed your help, so I summoned you."

She then stopped outside of a white door and unlocked it. "This is where you'll be staying. It's the second nicest bedroom in the base."

Amy and the Doctor walked through, and their gaze immediately fell on the two single beds.

"Don't you have a room with a double bed?" Amy asked River bluntly.

"There's only one double on this ship, and I have it. But you're more than welcome to join me!" River replied, winking at the Doctor, who grimaced.

Amy was beginning to grow annoyed at her friend now, and the Doctor could feel the animosity rising between the three of them. "Don't worry, I can fix this." He said, breaking the tension.

He unbolted the beds from the floor using his screwdriver and he pushed them together, creating a double bed.

Amy couldn't resist smirking at River, and she lay back on the bed. The Doctor lay down beside her, and turned his head to smile at her.

River glanced out of the window, and then at her watch. "It's quite late now, so why don't you get some rest before we get up to wait for the chamber to open?"

The Doctor and Amy both agreed, and they bid goodnight to her without taking their eyes from each other.

After River had left them alone, the Doctor reached out and traced the frown lines on Amy's face. "Now you can see why I didn't want to come here." He said gently.

Amy sighed and turned her eyes to the ceiling. "I know. I'm starting to regret being so eager to see River again. I can't believe she's flirting with you, and right in front of me as well!"

The Doctor rolled his body so that he was hovering over her. "Are you jealous Pond?" He asked her, tenderly brushing her auburn hair out of her face.

Amy's frown became a scowl. "I know that she's your future, so of course I'm jealous. Maybe I die on this trip and the two of you get married a year later."

Now it was the Doctor's turn to frown. "Don't say things like that." He said quietly. "Time can be rewritten."

Amy gave him a small smile. "I know. But I still worry. River is much more suited to you than I am."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows at that. "How so?" He demanded.

"She knows almost as much as you do, she's more experienced and more intelligent than I am, she can fly the TARDIS…the list is endless!"

"Ah, but she's not impossible, mad, or even magnificent." The Doctor reminded her, leaning down to brush his nose against hers. "You're all of those things."

Amy's smile widened. "Uh-huh. So those qualities make me better than her then?"

The Doctor hummed and kissed her gently. "Everything about you is better. You're my Amy Pond, and she will never be my River Song."

"How can I believe that?" Amy teased, twining her arms around his neck and pulling his body down to lie on top of hers.

"Do you really need convincing?" The Doctor asked her, grinning as he kissed the top of her nose.

Amy nodded and tilted her head to kiss him. "Lots of persuasion is essential." She murmured against his lips.

"Who am I to argue with that?" Her husband chuckled, reaching back and pulling the duvet over them.

~I~

A while later, the Doctor had fallen asleep, his face pressed into his pillow, murmuring gibberish. Amy could just about make out him saying her name, and she smiled.

And then the Doctor muttered another name: River's.

Amy's smile became a frown, and she would have slapped the Doctor if she hadn't wanted to disturb his sleep.

Rolling onto her back, Amy stared at the white tile ceiling, unable to sleep. She closed her eyes anyway, but as soon as she did so, she heard someone whisper her name.

Opening her eyes, she groaned and turned her head to frown at the Doctor, believing he was the one that had uttered her name. "Shut it you. I'm trying to sleep."

"Amy…"

The Doctor hadn't moved his head, and Amy knew that he wasn't speaking. "River?" She whispered in confusion, sitting up in the bed. "Is that you?"

"Amy…"

Amy rose from the bed and slipped on the Doctor's shirt and her converses to investigate outside. Picking up her sonic screwdriver, she opened the door and stepped out into the corridor.

"River?" She called quietly, peering down both ends of the corridor.

"Amy…"

Amy turned to the right, and began walking down the corridor towards the voice, which happened to be in the direction of the chamber.

She paused outside of the chamber's door, wondering briefly if it had unlocked yet. She began to reach for the handle, but she was interrupted.

"Hoping to get in there first Amy?" River said from behind her, and Amy whirled around, giving her a sheepish smile.

"I guess so!" She replied, shrugging.

River laughed and turned around to go, when Amy asked her, "Did you call my name just then?"

"No. Why?"

Amy frowned in confusion. "Huh. That's weird. I swear I heard someone…maybe I'm just hearing things."

"I hear a lot of things too." River remarked, looking at Amy pointedly.

Amy caught the hidden message in her words. "Oh God…you didn't…"

River smirked. "Amy dear, these walls aren't exactly soundproof. And just look at your attire."

Blushing, Amy yanked the Doctor's shirt down to mid-thigh. "Whoops. Sorry. So, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I couldn't sleep, knowing the chamber would be open soon. You know, I'm surprised that the Doctor can. Normally he'd be pacing up and down while he waits." River commented, walking down the corridor, beckoning Amy with her finger to follow her.

"Um…he's been kind of tired recently." Amy admitted, still pulling down the shirt as she hurried after River.

River paused outside of one of the doors in the corridor and opened it. "I can't blame the guy. You must really be wearing him out." She remarked as she walked through the door.

Amy stepped in after her, and knew that it was her bedroom from the double bed in the centre of the room. "Nice place you have here." She said, nodding her approval.

River laughed and sank down onto her bed. "You can thank the captain of the base for this room. If he's still alive that is." Smiling, she moved to sit cross-legged in the middle of the bed.

Amy shivered at that, before perching on the end of the bed, allowing her to look at River. "Do you really think that the space crew that were here are dead?" She asked her quietly.

River's smile faded. "I believe so. There are no traces of them on this moon, and instinct tells me that it's got something to do with the chamber."

Amy moved further onto the bed and mirrored River's position so that they were facing each other. "So they could be trapped in the chamber…or…" She broke off, unable to finish.

Fortunately, River understood. "Or we'll find their dead bodies later on tonight." She finished gravely.

Amy looked around the room uneasily. "Are we in danger right now? Because of what could be in the chamber?"

"Amy, do you honestly believe that I'd endanger the Doctor's life and yours by asking you both to come here?"

"Yes." Amy replied instantly, a small smile gracing her lips. "There is no excitement without danger, after all."

River clapped her hands. "Well done Amy. You know, the Doctor did the right thing by marrying you. There is no one more perfect for him than you are."

Amy beamed, and reached out to touch River's arm. Maybe she was wrong to doubt her. Maybe River had no romantic intentions towards her husband after all. "Thank you. That's really nice of you to say so."

"And speaking of the Doctor, we need to talk about him. And about you too." River continued, ignoring Amy's gratitude.

Frowning, Amy withdrew her hand. "Why?" She asked cautiously. "We're fine."

"When was the last time you had your…how shall I put it…monthly course?" River fired at her, causing Amy to lean away from her in shock.

"Why are you asking me that for?" Amy demanded, furious.

Surprising her even more, River suddenly stood up and crept to the bedroom door. "Something for you to learn about the Doctor, never have a private conversation when he's around." She flung open her bedroom door, and the Doctor nearly toppled over from his position.

"I thought you were asleep!" Amy hissed, glaring at him.

The Doctor raised his hands in surrender. "I was! But I woke up, so I decided to go looking for my missing shirt." Frowning, he looked down at his outfit, which was complete except for his shirt, before looking back at Amy. "But I found it, so I guess I'll just—"

"Go and find some mechanism to play with while I talk to Amy." River interrupted for him, her tone threatening.

Amy and the Doctor's suspicious expressions mirrored each other exactly. "No." The Doctor said firmly. "I'm not leaving this room without my wife."

River shot Amy an exasperated look. "Tell him to go away Amy."

"No, I won't." Amy replied angrily, rising to her feet. "We're going back to bed, and we won't be up till the chamber is open."

"Suit yourself." River said, shrugging. "Just keep the noise down in future kids."

Glaring at her, Amy backed out of the room and joined the Doctor in the doorway. River waved at them, and Amy slammed the door shut.

They returned to their room in silence, both of them fuming about River. Amy gave the Doctor back his shirt before changing back into her clothes, reluctant for River to burst into their room without them being fully covered.

Yawning, the Doctor climbed into bed, and he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Amy curled up beside him, and closed her eyes, suddenly exhausted.

~I~

"Amy…"

Amy's eyes opened slowly, and she let out a small groan. "Not again." She muttered under her breath, digging in her skirt pocket for her sonic screwdriver.

Leaving the Doctor mumbling in his sleep, she left the room. "This feels like Deja-Vu." She whispered, before rolling her eyes. "God. I should stop talking to myself, or I'll sound just as mad as the Doctor."

"Amy…"

There was no mistaking where the mysterious voice was coming from this time. The chamber.

Amy paused uncertainly in front of it. "Now, do I get the Doctor, or investigate myself?"

She made her decision quickly. "Amy Pond is not a coward." She muttered, touching the locked door.

Suddenly the door sprang open, and a white light blinded her, leaving her unable to see anything. She fumbled for her sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the light, but it didn't fade away as it should have done.

She heard another voice then, and the voice sounded chillingly familiar. "Exterminate!"

Not wanting to alert the Dalek to her presence, she managed to slam the chamber door shut, just as River and the Doctor came running around the corner.

"Amy, what have you done?" The Doctor whispered, his tone half-mixed with awe and anxiety.

She opened her mouth to tell him that Daleks were inside of the chamber, when she felt the white light again, consuming her mind and her body.

She felt herself go limp, and she heard the Doctor scream her name before she slumped to the floor and passed out.

* * *

**I actually wrote part of this chapter months ago. It was originally going to involve the Pandorica, but nah. That storyline is too easy. It'll make an appearance later.**

**Review for a preview? **

**Hayley x**


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews on my A/N. Your words of support meant a lot to me, and they managed to snap me out of the mood I was in. A lot of things happened, and I was rather stressed, but knowing I have so much of you behind me made my week. Thank you.**

**Lil Todds, you're forgiven. I'm sorry too. Maybe I over-reacted. I don't know. Hope you're okay.**

* * *

The moment his wife's body hit the ground, the Doctor was running, his hearts thumping frantically in his chest, screaming her name. He fell to the floor beside her, his fingers instantly feeling for the pulse point in her neck.

He couldn't find it.

_No…no...no!_

He was blind now, a film of tears covered his eyes, and he blinked furiously, trying to evaporate the moisture. His fingers fumbled down the expanse of her neck, desperately hunting for her pulse, but to no avail.

"Let me." He heard River murmur as she crouched down beside him.

"You've done enough!" The Doctor hissed at her hatefully, without taking his eyes from his wife. "Amy…Amy…please…"

River reached out for Amy's hand, and placed her thumb gently over the pulse point in her wrist. After a couple of moments, she felt a tiny throb. "She's alive." She announced, and the Doctor snatched Amy's wrist away from her to feel her pulse for himself.

When he felt the faint thrum of her pulse, he closed his eyes, and pressed his lips to the back of his wife's hand. "Thank Rassilon." He whispered, clutching Amy's hand tightly.

"You should have known she was alive." River scolded him gently. "You can hear human heartbeats from miles away."

She was exaggerating of course, though she was still partially right. But the Doctor didn't feel comfortable disclosing that the sound of his own frantic heartbeats had drowned out everything else. He'd been very close to having a Galifreyan panic attack, a dangerous overload of emotions for Time Lords. Their panic attacks could render them unconscious for days, while their vast minds worked furiously to bring them back to reality.

Opening his eyes, the Doctor saw River approaching the chamber door. "No!" He yelled at her. "Don't open that door! It's too dangerous!"

River raised her eyebrows at him. "I didn't know you cared Doctor."

"I don't." The Doctor said coldly, his eyes boring into hers. "If you open that door, whatever harmed Amy will be unleashed, and I won't let her get hurt again."

River nodded in understanding, and then sat down beside Amy's body. She reached out to hold her hand, but the Doctor wrapped his fingers around her wrist and wrenched her hand away from his wife. "Don't touch her!" He snapped, his grip tightening around her wrist.

"Alright, calm down!" River hissed back, yanking her wrist out of his grasp. "Shouldn't you be checking your wife for injuries?"

The Doctor's face paled; horrified that he'd forgotten to do that. He immediately withdrew his sonic screwdriver and began to scan Amy's body, stopping when he heard a light beeping.

He didn't notice River's eyes widen in realisation, and he frowned as he examined his sonic. "That's strange." He mumbled.

Before he could scan her again, he felt his wife move, and he quickly put his screwdriver away. "Pond?" He whispered, placing his hands on her cheeks.

Amy's eyes fluttered open, and then focused on him. "Hey." She whispered hoarsely, her lips rising into a smile.

The Doctor was torn between laughing and crying with relief. "Hey yourself." He murmured back, leaning down to nuzzle his nose against hers. Amy chuckled faintly, which made him smile.

"Welcome back to reality." They heard River say, and Amy sat up slowly to look at her.

"Thanks, I think." She muttered, touching her forehead. Worried, the Doctor took out his screwdriver and began to scan her face, but Amy whacked his hand away.

"You woke up quicker than I expected." River commented, her eyes calculating.

"Well I am wonder woman." Amy joked weakly, and the Doctor kissed her forehead.

"Wonder woman indeed." River mused, rising to her feet.

The Doctor stood too, and tenderly scooped Amy into his arms to lift her up from the floor. She scowled, but didn't moan until he'd placed her on her feet. "That was unnecessary." She muttered to him. "I'm completely fine! I can stand on my own two feet, you kn—"

Before she could finish her sentence, she swayed unsteadily, and the Doctor caught her as she collapsed against him.

"You were saying?" He asked her, going to lift her again, but Amy stopped him.

"You don't need to do that." She said crossly, although she didn't sound very angry, due to her weak voice.

Knowing how stubborn she was, the Doctor didn't attempt to lift her, but he wrapped his arms tightly around her. Amy twined her arms around his neck, hugging him back just as forcefully.

"As much as I hate to break up this lovely reunion, you need to tell us what you saw in the chamber Amy." River said, and Amy reluctantly released the Doctor to look at her.

"River, I can't." She sighed, touching her forehead again.

"Why not?" River demanded, and the Doctor glared at her. "Now is not the time to get protective Doctor, we need to know what we're up against."

Amy bit her lip, and much to the Doctor's anguish, her eyes filled with tears. He began to rub soothing circles on her back, and after relaxing slightly, she took a deep breath. "I can't tell you River…because I can't remember." She finally whispered.

The Doctor's hand stilled as his whole body froze in fear. Amy didn't need another threat after her, but it was clear there was one. First the cracks in time wiping parts of her memory…and now this…

Cradling his wife's face in his hands, he kissed away the tears that were beginning to stream down her face. "I can't remember." Amy kept whispering, and the Doctor ended up covering her lips with his, to stop her from panicking. Or maybe to stop himself from panicking.

"There's only one thing to do then." River said briskly. "I'm going in."

Amy tore her lips away from the Doctor's to gaze at her in horror. "No River! You can't! It's too dangerous!"

"I like danger." River shrugged.

"Don't be stupid!" The Doctor hissed. "At least let me come with you!"

"No! Don't go in there!" Amy cried, fisting her hands in his shirt. "Not without me!"

"Amy, I nearly lost you to whatever's in there. I need to go and find out what it is, and scare it away." The Doctor said to her gently. "I can't let you come with me because I can't let you get hurt again. You're too much at risk."

"You have too much at risk as well." River muttered, but Amy and the Doctor weren't listening to her.

Amy's shoulders slumped in defeat, knowing that whatever she said wouldn't stop the Doctor from going into the chamber. "Okay." She whispered, raising her hands to his cheeks. "Come back soon."

The Doctor grinned at her. "Oh, I will. You won't even notice I've gone."

"I doubt it." Amy mumbled gloomily, and the Doctor placed his finger under her chin to tilt her head up.

"Gotcha." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her softly.

Before Amy could respond, the Doctor was walking into the chamber with River.

Amy went to take a step forward after them, but the Doctor called, without turning around, "Don't even think about it Pond!"

Sighing, Amy slid down against the wall of the corridor, waiting for them to return.

~I~

To say that there was unbearable tension between River and the Doctor was an understatement. Not even a knife could have cut the atmosphere between them, so the pair walked in silence through the chamber corridors.

River decided to break the silence first. "So, thanks for coming with me."

"Don't thank me, I'm not in here for you." The Doctor replied coldly, and River nodded slightly, unsurprised by his frosty response.

This unnerved the Doctor and he whirled around to face her. "I swear, if you do anything else to harm Amy—"

"Anything else?" River demanded, interrupting him. "I haven't done anything!"

"Liar!" The Doctor hissed, his eyes blazing with anger. "You force us here, you manipulate Amy into wanting to stay, and then she's attacked and part of her memory is wiped. I'm only in here to keep you away from her!"

He stopped, but River knew he wasn't finished.

"I will harm you if anything has happened to my wife." He said finally, his tone coated with venom.

River studied him for a moment, before she smiled. "And there it is."

"What?" The Doctor demanded, tensing.

"The oncoming storm." She replied quietly, and the Doctor inhaled sharply. "Thought your marriage to Amy would have softened you, but I see that's not the case. I'm glad."

The fire in the Doctor's eyes became a full-on inferno. "Shut up. Just shut up!" He roared, his fists clenching.

Unfazed by his fury, River glared back at him. "Don't you dare tell me what to do!" She thundered, her eyes narrowing angrily.

Suddenly, they heard the door of the chamber slam shut, and they exchanged panicked glances, their rage at each other instantly forgotten.

"Amy!" They cried at the same time, spinning around and racing back through the chamber corridors.

The Doctor surged ahead of River, and he reached the door first. He aimed his sonic at the door, but it wouldn't open. "Amy!" He yelled through the door, banging on it furiously. "Amy!"

"Deadlock is complete." A chillingly, familiar voice announced, and the Doctor felt his blood run cold at the sound of his archenemies: the Daleks. "Take the girl."

"No!" The Doctor cried, now throwing his weight against the door in his desperation to get it open. "Amy! Amy!"

"Get away from me you metal freaks!" He heard Amy yell, and he almost breathed a sigh of relief when he realised she was still alive.

"Amy, run!" He bellowed, relinquishing his banging to press his ear against the door, allowing him to hear more. Running footsteps indicated that Amy had taken his advice.

"Follow her!" He heard one of the Daleks command, and he prayed that Amy would be able to hide from them until he could find a way to get out of the chamber.

River finally reached him, just as the Doctor began to examine the door with his screwdriver, searching for anything that could help him open it.

"There's nothing you can do, it's a deadlock. You can't even explode the doors." River told him, grabbing his arm. "Come on."

"I'm not leaving Amy." The Doctor said firmly, pulling his arm out of her grasp. "I need to get to her."

"Doctor, you can't leave this chamber, and neither can I. We're going to have to make the best out of a bad situation." River commented, and the Doctor glared at her.

"The best out of a bad situation?" He echoed incredulously. "My wife is being chased by one of the deadliest species in the whole Universe!"

"Look, the Daleks can't hurt her!" River exclaimed.

"Are you mad?" The Doctor hissed. "Of course they can! She's human! Frail! Vulnerable!"

"Amelia Pond is not just an ordinary human, and you and I both know that." River said steadily. "She'll be fine. We're in more danger here, so you need to be strong, and focus!"

The Doctor was paying no attention to her, still scanning the door desperately. "Why did I leave her out there?" He muttered to himself. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"Stop wallowing!" River commanded sharply. "Let's go! Now!"

"You go. I'm staying here!" The Doctor told her, and from the certain tone of his voice, River knew she couldn't persuade him.

"Suit yourself. I'm going to go and find the missing crew." River replied, turning around and walking back down the corridor.

The Doctor, now giving up with his sonic screwdriver, began to bang on the door again.

~I~

Amy couldn't run for much longer. Her encounter with the chamber had left her weak, and she didn't have the energy to keep running from the Daleks.

Her only option now was to hide from them.

Using her sonic screwdriver, she opened up one of the crew's bedroom chambers and hurried inside. She looked around the room for a hiding place, and saw a hatch on the ceiling.

After securing the door, she unlocked the hatch, and a ladder fell down. Sighing in relief, she ascended up the ladder swiftly, pulling it up once she was safe.

Just as she secured the hatch shut, the door of the bedroom exploded open. Amy peered through the grates of the hatch, and saw the Daleks entering the room.

"Scan the girl." One of them commanded, and Amy's eyes widened in fear.

There was nowhere else to hide. The hatch had only led her into a small box room, and there were no exits, except for the way she'd come up.

She held her breath, and prayed.

To her surprise, nothing happened. She knew the Daleks were still in the room, but they weren't attacking her.

Taking a chance, she peered back through the hatch, and saw the Daleks looking up at her. She expected them to start firing at her, but they did nothing.

Suddenly she felt them in her mind, and she clutched her head, crying out as they began to rift through her memories.

"Phase is almost complete." She heard them announce.

And then she blinked, forgetting instantly what they'd just done to her, just in time to watch them teleport out of the room.

As soon as the coast was clear, she threw the ladder down and descended out of the hatch.

"I'm coming Doctor!" She yelled, leaving the bedroom and sprinting towards the chamber.

She heard her husband yelling her name, and she raced up to the door. "I'm here Doctor, I'm here!" She cried, banging on the door too.

"Thank the Universe!" She heard him sigh. "Amy, where are the Daleks?"

"They've gone!" She called, grinning.

She could picture the Doctor's astounded expression in her head when he replied, "What? Didn't they hurt you?"

"They didn't do anything to me! They just looked at me and then teleported away!" She told him earnestly. "I'm as shocked as you."

The Doctor was silent then, and Amy began to worry. "Doctor, are you okay?" She yelled, knocking on the door again.

"Amy, they didn't teleport away, as such." She heard him reply, though his voice was faint.

She gasped in horror, realising that the Daleks were now in the chamber with him, and now it was her turn to scan the door with screwdriver, looking for a way to open the door.

~I~

The Doctor could do nothing but stare his enemies down, twiddling his screwdriver in his hands. "About time we met again." He said calmly. "I never did get around to congratulating you for failing to destroy the Earth, again."

"Destroying the Earth is no longer our primary priority." The white Dalek replied.

"Yeah right." The Doctor snorted, his confidence growing. "So what are you lot doing here?"

"Amelia Pond will be ours." All of them announced, and the Doctor's confidence was shattered instantly. He expected Amy to react from behind the door, but there was no response from her.

"What have you done?" He whispered, raising his arm and pointing his sonic at the Daleks. "What have you done to my wife?"

They were silent, and the Doctor saw River coming up behind them. As much as he disliked her at the moment, he didn't want the Daleks to see her and harm her. He jerked his head to the right, and River knew that he wanted her to edge around them while he talked to them, until she got to his side. She nodded back, and the Doctor continued.

"If you've hurt, or will hurt Amy, I will wipe you all out." He hissed threateningly.

Again, the Daleks didn't reply, and their silence began to make the Doctor worry.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" He demanded. "Why aren't you doing anything?"

River reached him then, and rested her hand on his raised arm. "Doctor, I found the crew. They're dead. And I also found—"

"Not now River." The Doctor commanded impatiently, without taking his gaze from the Daleks. "You lot should have tried to kill me by now! Why haven't you?"

This time the Daleks reacted, but not in the way the Doctor had hoped for: they teleported away.

He didn't even have time to blink before there was a loud rumble, and a large crack began to appear along the corridor wall. It didn't even have to finish forming: the Doctor knew exactly what it was.

River took a step towards it, but the Doctor yanked her back. "Don't go near it!" He commanded, beginning to back away.

The crack suddenly widened, and light began to filter out, blinding them temporarily. "Don't step into the light!" The Doctor yelled, shielding his eyes.

And then as his back hit the chamber wall, something clicked in the Doctor's mind. The light from the crack in time was the light that had temporarily wiped Amy's mind. If she'd looked at it for much longer, she wouldn't be alive.

"What do we do?" River cried, pressed up against the wall beside him. "We can't get out!"

As if her words were a command, the chamber door swung open, revealing Amy.

"No Amy!" The Doctor cried, just as her gaze fell on the crack in time.

"Amy…Amy…" A voice from inside the crack crooned, much to his horror.

Amy's head tilted to the side, and she reached out with one hand towards the light. "Mum?" She whispered, her eyes filling up with tears.

"No!" The Doctor roared, easing himself as fast as he could towards the door. "Amy, listen to me!"

But she took a step forward. "Mum!" She cried joyfully. "I'm here! I'm here!"

The Doctor reached her then, and he pushed her away from the light, and out of the chamber.

Sobbing, Amy began to thrash around in his arms, hitting him and screaming to be let back into the chamber. The Doctor managed to restrain her, and River slammed the chamber door shut behind them. Amy collapsed the moment the light vanished from her sight, and the Doctor caught her in his arms.

"We need to leave! Now!" The Doctor yelled to River, lifting Amy's limp body into his arms.

River didn't need telling twice, and she ran after the Doctor towards the direction of the TARDIS. He couldn't reach for his keys, but he was able to snap his fingers, and the door swung open.

Hurrying into the console room, he lowered Amy's body onto the blanket that the TARDIS had provided for her, and then turned his attention to the console.

River sat down beside Amy, and tenderly brushed her auburn hair out of her face.

The Doctor eyed the affectionate gesture with raised eyebrows, and River met his gaze. "What?" She demanded. "I'm taking care of her. Amy's my family. We're not blood-related, but she's like a sister to me. Or, she will be."

The Doctor shook his head in confusion. "I'm not interested in knowing who you are River, not right now. I have bigger problems, like the fact that my wife just went into a trance and tried to kill herself in the light."

River lowered her gaze to her pocket, and withdrew a piece of scrunched up paper from it. "I think I can—"

"And I have an even bigger problem than that! Gigantic! Colossal!" The Doctor continued, now ranting his frustration. "Those Daleks should have killed me! But they retreated! Why would they do that?"

"Just let it go Doctor. You're alive. Amy's alive. That's all that matters." River replied distractedly, looking down at the paper.

"But you don't understand!" The Doctor exclaimed, banging the console with his hand. "Daleks are my enemies. They should have killed me instantly!"

"Of course they didn't kill you. You'd only regenerate." River told him, rolling his eyes.

"It's probably safer to trap you than kill you." They heard Amy whisper, and River and the Doctor turned to gaze at her in bewilderment.

But to their astonishment, she was fast asleep.

River shoved the piece of paper away, and carefully lifted Amy's eyelids. "She's definitely asleep." She murmured, confused. "But how could she—"

She broke off when the Doctor began to kick the console, furious. "What is going on?" He roared, fisting his hands in his hair. "River, please tell me you know what's happening!"

River smiled at him sadly. "The one time you choose to trust me and I don't know anything." She said softly. "I'm sorry, I'm just as clueless as you."

"River, I can't lose her." The Doctor said brokenly, dropping to his knees beside his wife. "Please, please help me."

River gazed at him, and then nodded. "Of course I will. But if you want me to help, I need to go to Earth. Now."

The Doctor looked at her quizzically. "Why? Do you know something already?"

"I'm not sure yet." River replied, reaching into her pocket and touching the paper, choosing not to show it to the Doctor. "But I might do."

The Doctor was about to rise to his feet to go back to the console, but River placed her hand on his arm. "Doctor, I can fly the TARDIS." She said gently. "Stay with your wife.."

At the Doctor's nod of consent, River rose and walked over to the console.

The Doctor watched her cautiously for a few moments, before turning his attention to his wife. "Oh Pond." He whispered, cradling her face in his hands and pressing his forehead to hers. "Magnificent, brilliant Amelia Pond. What are we going to do?"

* * *

**This plot arc gets more confusing every time I think about it. Don't worry, I'll hammer it out. Hopefully. This story will be finished by 70 chapters time! At least, I hope it will. It's been dragging on for too long. If I'd been sensible and started out writing 4,000 words per chapter instead of 1,500 words, we'd only be thirty chapters in. Sigh. Oh well! I'm not going to re-edit this story. I thought about it, but decided against it.**

**Because some of you reviewed the A/N which was chapter 51, you can't leave a signed review. As long as you leave your fanfiction username, I can still reply to your review and give you a preview of the next chapter.**

**Hayley x**


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N: Sorry for not updating + replying to reviews. Life is...well...not perfect. **

**But it's okay, because your reviews and kind words always brighten my day. And they produce chapters like this :D Although, I have to warn you now...this chapter does end in a cliffhanger.**

**(Please don't kill me for it. It's not that bad. I think.)**

**Oh, and also...1,000 REVIEWS! THANK YOU! **

* * *

After dropping River off, the Doctor carried Amy to their bed, and lay her down gently, his vast mind whirring and replaying the events in the chamber.

For the first time in his nine hundred years of life, he was frightened. His anxiety and fear for Amy were clouding his judgement, rendering him useless. He didn't know anything; he couldn't understand anything.

And he couldn't find a way to keep Amy safe, and out of danger. He couldn't protect himself either. There was no protection when fighting the unknown.

Exhausted, the Doctor collapsed on the chair beside the bed and buried his head in his hands, trying to think of an answer to the turmoil surrounding them.

And then he realised he had it. At least, he had the beginning to his answer.

His wife.

Her memories of the events in the chamber would give him some insight. He'd be able to discover why she behaved that way in front of the crack in time, and find out what had happened in her encounter with the Daleks.

Just as he was about to place his fingers to Amy's temples, he paused, realising he was invading her privacy. Did he have the right to scan his wife's mind?

His TARDIS sensed his indecision, and spoke to him softly. _There's an old Earth saying Doctor…what's yours is mine…so what's hers is yours._

"Thanks Dear." He murmured, comforted. The TARDIS hummed reassuringly, and the Doctor placed his fingertips on Amy temples.

His eyes snapped shut, and he sifted through her memories to when she woke up in their bedroom chamber and went to investigate the sound of someone calling her name.

And then the memory went black, and the Doctor couldn't see anything. It was as if Amy's memory was blocked from him.

Frowning, he pushed deeper into the tendrils of her mind, searching for the next memory. He found it, and saw his own face looking worriedly down at Amy, after she'd collapsed. He sped through their conversation until he saw himself and River enter the chamber, letting Amy's memory replay in his mind.

He saw, through the eyes of his wife, the Daleks coming around the corner, before his psychic vision darkened again.

And then he caught snippets, like there were blips in her memory, skipping over parts that the Doctor couldn't see. He saw Amy in the hatch and running towards the chamber door to get to him, but the memory was blurred, as if someone had edited it.

Maybe someone had.

The Doctor needed to get closer to examine her mind further. Without taking his hands away from her face, he rose from the chair to sit on the bed. Before he pressed his forehead against hers, he paused again. Accessing her mind like this would create a temporary bond between them, and he was unsure if he wanted to set one. Amy might sense him this time, and wake up, and he didn't want that to happen. Not just yet. He needed more information.

After a psychic nudge from his ship, he rested his forehead against Amy's, and closed his eyes again.

This time, he saw the chamber door opening and Amy stepping through. He expected to see the light from the crack, but the moment Amy stepped into the chamber, her mind went blank, and the Doctor couldn't see again.

He tried to push through the darkness, but his psychic energy was weakening in its presence. He was being forced to withdraw from Amy's mind, to avoid the risk of being completely drained.

Opening his eyes, he let go of his psychic hold on Amy, and returned to his chair, frowning.

And then he felt a small tug in his mind. Frowning, the Doctor touched his forehead, and then quickly withdrew his hand. He was burning hot.

That could only mean one thing.

He touched Amy's forehead too, and felt that she was the same temperature as him.

The temporary bond that he'd just formed with her was becoming permanent.

Panicked, the Doctor tried to break it, but the link was already too strong. He had no idea why their bond was still there, as it was almost impossible for a human to have the capability of holding such a powerful psychic bond. But there it was.

He didn't know whether to feel thrilled or concerned that they were now bonded in a different way.

He touched his forehead again, and felt that his skin was back to its normal temperature. The bond was set.

Instead of researching the cracks in time, which he should be doing, he began to play with their connection, testing the durability. It was very weak, but unbreakable, and it would strengthen over time. He couldn't access her mind without physical contact, but he could sense her emotions from where he was sitting.

He could feel her tranquillity, and then he felt something shift in her mind. She was beginning to wake up.

He knew that she wouldn't remember anything about the cracks in time and her mother, so he plastered on a cheerful smile, waiting for her to awaken.

Moments later, Amy's eyes slowly opened, and she turned her head to look at him. "Doctor?" She whispered groggily, sitting up, but the Doctor pushed her gently back down, ignoring the twinge in his mind from the physical contact.

"Pond, rest." He instructed, lifting up the duvet to tuck her in, but she kicked it away with her feet.

"What happened?" She asked him, ignoring his request. "I can't remember anything."

The Doctor had to force down his unease, knowing Amy would sense it, even though she wasn't aware of the bond between them.

"The Daleks were threatening me, and you fainted." He lied, so convincingly that he almost believed it himself.

"I fainted?" She echoed in disbelief. "I didn't realise I was so weak!"

"You're not weak, you were just exhausted after your collapse." Her husband said softly. "Look, everything's fine and dandy now. The Daleks are gone." He was still lying, of course.

Amy smiled in relief. "Good. You know, I'm glad that adventure's over with. Let's not have another one of those, okay?"

Looking into her honest eyes, the Doctor's hearts churned. "Okay, I promise." He agreed, pushing his unease aside.

"So, everything's back to normal." Amy stated, grinning.

_Define normal._ The Doctor thought dryly, and the TARDIS sighed in agreement, just as concerned as him.

"Let's go somewhere else." Amy went to sit up again, but the Doctor pushed her back down. This time, he joined her on the bed, positioning his body over hers to trap her with his arms.

"Or we can do this instead. I don't mind." She murmured, grabbing the collar of his tweed jacket and forcing his body onto hers.

Before her lips could reach his, the Doctor sighed and rolled off of her onto his back. He heard Amy groan, and she propped herself up on one elbow to look at him. "What's up with you?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.

The Doctor was silent, debating on how to break the news about their bond.

"There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?" Amy continued, and Doctor cursed himself silently for having a wife that was so perceptive.

"There is." He said carefully. "Something that happened a few minutes ago, in fact."

Amy was instantly alert, and she surveyed the bedroom. "What? Did River do something? Is she still here?"

The Doctor smiled faintly. "No, she's gone. I…well…I'm not entirely certain on how it happened, but it seems that you and I…are now bonded."

He didn't expect Amy's reaction at all. "Of course we are. We got married a few weeks ago, remember?" She replied, rolling her eyes.

"Not like that." The Doctor replied quietly. "I mean…we're psychically bonded."

Now Amy understood, and her eyes widened. "Like…" She trailed off, and touched the Doctor's forehead gently with her fingertip.

The Doctor shivered as he felt their bond react to their skin contact. "Yes. We're linked through our minds."

"How did this happen? Will I be able to read your mind now?" She wondered, tapping his forehead lightly.

"I don't know how it happened." He lied, unable to explain to her the truth without revealing information that she didn't remember.

Amy nodded, believing him, and the Doctor continued. "And no, not quite. You'll have to learn how to use it, and I will too, of course. It could take years to speak to each other telepathically." He replied, wrapping his fingers around her wrist and pulling her hand away.

Releasing her hand, he sat up to lean over her, and gently pushed her onto her back. He touched her forehead with his index finger, and whispered, "Close your eyes."

Amy obeyed, and the Doctor began to trace a pathway with his fingertip towards her temple, enjoying her hum of pleasure.

Slowly, he edged forward and pressed his forehead to hers, and Amy's eyes flew open. "I can see myself!" She whispered, amazed. "But how—"

"At first, you'll get fleeting images from my mind, and you'll be able to sense how I'm feeling. And it works both ways." The Doctor explained, pulling back to look at her.

Amy raised her hands, and tenderly cupped his face, her fingertips resting on his temples. "What does this mean for us?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know." The Doctor said thoughtfully, frowning slightly. "Only one Time Lord has bonded with a human before, and it was rumoured that they were joint souls."

"Soul mates." Amy said softly.

The Doctor nodded, and sat up. Amy lowered her hands, and was disappointed when she couldn't feel the Doctor's mind in hers. "I can't feel you anymore." She told him.

"You can, I'm still there." The Doctor touched her temple again, and Amy trembled. "You can feel my emotions, but we have to have physical contact to use our bond for everything else. Our minds will have to strengthen to carry this…psychic capacity, I suppose you could call it."

Amy's eyes twinkled mischievously, and she sat up to place her hands on his face again. The Doctor elicited a sigh of pleasure, and she smirked. "Physical?" She echoed, and the Doctor shivered as he felt her desire seep through the bond between them. "How physical?"

Her feelings ignited his own, and he pushed her back down onto the bed. "I think I can demonstrate." He murmured, capturing her lips in a heated kiss.

~I~

The psychic bond between them turned out to be a blessing in disguise. They'd never felt closer to each other.

It was also useful in another way: the Doctor used it as a distraction to keep Amy in the TARDIS for a few days. He made excuses to stop them from leaving the comfort of his ship, such as 'the bond can be broken by strong crosswinds' or 'someone might kidnap us and force our minds apart'. Amy believed him, much to his surprise, but he was relieved. Keeping Amy inside kept her away from danger.

But eventually Amy, being Amy, yearned to leave the TARDIS and continue their honeymoon. The Doctor couldn't placate her, so he whisked her off to the Tuyir Galaxy, one of the darkest, yet most romantic places in the Universe. There was hardly any light, which comforted him. He thought it was best to keep Amy away from bright, white light, for fear of her being exposed to a crack in time.

Even though they were safe, he refused to let her leave his sight, and he ensured that he held her hand everywhere, keeping her in his grasp. He constantly kept looking over his shoulder, looking for any signs of suspicious behaviour.

They then visited one of the Rix Moons in the galaxy, and the Doctor nearly hurt someone when he noticed that they were watching Amy strangely. It turned out that they were only staring because they'd never seen red hair before.

Amy kept an eye on him after that, unbeknownst to the Doctor, and she noticed his weird behaviour. She realised that he kept calling her Amelia, and that he became more protective of her when they travelled somewhere, clutching her hand tightly and always looking around.

She eventually called him out on it, when they were on their way to a formal Purian Party that the Doctor had been invited to. They were walking hand in hand towards the Purian castle, and when Amy saw the Doctor glancing behind them, she spoke up.

"Is there any reason for why you're being so protective of me?" She demanded, frowning at him.

"I'm always protective of you." The Doctor replied stubbornly, avoiding her gaze.

"Yeah, but not like this. It's like you're afraid that something's going to happen to me." She remarked, and the Doctor panicked.

"No! De…definitely not. W-what makes you say that? You're wrong!" He stammered, troubled that she'd noticed his behaviour.

"I was joking!" She said quickly, feeling his panic through their bond, and she frowned in confusion. "Why aren't you?"

Maybe the bond wasn't a blessing; it just made lying harder.

The Doctor forced himself to laugh, and he straightened his shoulders, trying to rid himself of his paranoia.

Amy felt his emotions return to normal, and the Doctor felt her relief. He couldn't mirror it though, so he tightened his grip on her hand as they walked inside. Amy shot him a questioning look, but the Doctor refused to meet her gaze again.

Knowing it was useless trying to talk to him again about his behaviour, Amy kept her mouth shut, and allowed the Doctor to continue being over-protective.

She actually quite liked it, even though it was annoying.

~I~

Minutes later, she decided that she didn't like it, when the Doctor refused to let her walk around the party freely, even though she promised that she'd stay in the same room.

The Doctor sensed her frustration and annoyance, and dragged her over to the corner of the room, where two of his old acquaintances were. He introduced Amy to them, and the four chatted for a while, before Amy excused herself. At least, she tried to.

"I'm going to get a drink." She whispered to the Doctor, releasing his hand. Before she could back away, the Doctor latched onto her hand again.

"I'll come with you." He replied, stepping with her, and Amy frowned.

"No, stay here." She said firmly, trying to pull her hand out of his grasp, but her husband held on.

"No, I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not." Amy hissed, not caring that the Doctor's friends were watching them strangely. "Do I look that clingy?"

"You shouldn't be left alone." The Doctor muttered, his eyes boring into hers.

"I'm walking over to a table and picking up a drink. How can you protect me from that?" Amy demanded, still trying to pull her hand away.

"The drinks could be poisoned, you could drown—"

"Now you're just being silly." Amy growled, and the Doctor could feel through their bond how angry she was. "Stay here."

Doctor sighed, knowing he was near defeat, but still determined to keep trying.

Amy sensed this, and glowered at him. "I mean it. Stay."

The Doctor's scowl mirrored hers. "I'm not a dog." He replied angrily, and Amy's glare intensified.

"But I'd be your dog any day." He added quickly, releasing her hand.

Glad that she'd gotten her way, she smirked and kissed the Doctor's cheek, before heading over to the drinks table on the other side of the room. Once there, she scanned the contents on the table critically, and her eyes fell on a strange looking fountain, that oozed a thick, purple substance. According to the label next to it, it was the drink of the night.

A man was filling up his glass with the liquid, and he looked up to smile at her. He looked human, but Amy had travelled for a long enough time to know that he wasn't. His tanned skin was patterned with pale white lines, as if someone had scratched at his skin, and his eyes were a clear, cerulean blue: too blue for human standards.

Amy smiled back at him, and pointed to the fountain. "Is that edible?"

"Quite." The man replied, his smile widening. "Maybe not for humans though. There are some Earth delicacies to your right, if you'd rather try them."

Amy turned her head, and saw a couple of beer bottles and some cartons of orange juice. "Cool, thanks!" She reached out for one of the beer bottles, but the man moved them out of her reach.

"Actually, I wouldn't drink those. The use-by date was three years ago." The man remarked, pushing a carton of orange juice towards her.

"Okay then, thanks." Amy shrugged, picking up the orange juice. "So, what's your name?"

"My name is Antonium."

Amy offered him her hand, and he shook it politely. "Nice to meet you Antonium, I'm Amy."

Antonium released her hand, and tilted his head to the side. "So Amy, a beautiful creature like you can't be here alone."

"Don't even think about smooth-talking me mister." Amy scolded him playfully. "I'm here with a date, who also happens to be my husband."

"And he left you alone?" Antonium questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh no. The opposite, in fact. He's too overprotective." Amy replied, pouring some orange juice into a glass. "I had to forcibly pry him away so I could walk over here and get a drink by myself."

"Where is he?" Antonium asked, scanning the crowds of aliens around them.

Amy pointed at the Doctor, though regretted it instantly. The Doctor was still with his old friends, and he was teaching them his signature move: the drunken giraffe. The aliens were mimicking him, and their dancing was even worse than the Doctor's, much to Amy's embarrassment.

"Oh dear." She muttered, shaking her head.

Antonium had to purse his lips together to withhold a smirk. "That's your husband?"

"Afraid so." Amy sighed, sipping her orange juice. "As you can see, he's a bit of a mad one."

"A bit?" Antonium echoed, and Amy laughed. "Well, I'm glad. I might get along with him then."

"Oh, you'll like him even if he wasn't dancing so badly. Time Lords are liked by everyone, right?" Amy commented, smiling. She expected Antonium to agree, but much to her surprise, his hand clenched around his glass, and it shattered.

"Time Lord!" Antonium hissed, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"Or maybe not." Amy muttered, biting her lip. "Um…"

"The Doctor. That's the Doctor." Antonium stated angrily, glaring venomously at him.

Amy didn't know what to say. She was completely speechless, knowing that whatever she said would upset Antonium further, and increase his anger towards the Doctor. And she'd rather die than unintentionally cause her husband any harm.

"That monster killed my father!" Antonium cried, working himself up into a rage.

"The Doctor would never kill anyone." Amy replied evenly, attempting to calm him down.

"He shot my father in cold blood, right in front of me!" Antonium roared. "He burst into my home, and gunned my father down, in front of my mother, in front of my brothers, in front of my baby sister…"

Before Amy could say or do anything, Antonium reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a gun. "It's about time I became acquainted with him."

Panic shot through Amy's body, and she quickly glanced in the Doctor's direction, hoping that he would see her and sense her panic. But he wasn't there.

It was time for Plan B. She lashed out, and hit Antonium's arm as hard as she could, sending his gun crashing to the floor. "Don't you dare touch him!" She hissed, snatching up his weapon and pointing it at his chest.

Antonium regarded her with sad, anxious eyes, and Amy blinked, surprised. She expected him to fight her, but he did nothing.

"Oh Amy, I can't hurt you, and I won't hurt you." He whispered, and Amy blinked again. "I'm sorry."

Before she could react, Antonium touched her forehead, and suddenly she found herself standing outside the castle.

She heard screaming from the inside, and she raced towards the castle gates. "Doctor!" She cried, stumbling through the entrance and racing up towards the doors. "Doctor!"

Just as she was about to push open the doors, she felt a twinge in her mind, and she dropped the gun to press her fingers to her temples to focus on it. She could sense the Doctor's shock, his remorse, but most important of all, she felt his fear.

Scooping up the gun, she shoved open the doors and burst into the party hall.

The scene she ran into was just what she'd feared. The party guests were all standing around the edge of the hall, and Antonium and the Doctor were the only ones in the centre.

Antonium had another gun, and he was aiming it at the Doctor, who had his hands in the air.

But Amy had a gun of her own, and she marched towards them, her gun raised as well. "Don't you dare!" She cried, her finger hovering over the trigger.

In her mind, she felt the Doctor's fear intensify, and she knew that he wanted her to back off and get to safety. But she would never leave him.

The Doctor's eyes suddenly widened, but before he could yell, someone grabbed Amy from behind, and locked her in a chokehold. Her gun clattered to the floor, and the Doctor surged forward to help her, but Antonium blocked him. "Don't move." He growled, and the Doctor froze.

Antonium turned to the person holding Amy, and glared dangerously at them. "Brother, let go of her at once!" He commanded furiously, before acting out a couple of gestures with his free hand.

His brother seemed to understand what Antonium was acting out, though no one else seemed to, and he released Amy.

The moment Amy was free; she dove down for her gun and pointed it at Antonium again.

His brother made a threatening move towards her, but Antonium screamed, "Don't touch her!"

The Doctor took a step towards Amy, only for Antonium's brother to charge and grab him instead.

"Let go of him!" Amy cried, now pointing her weapon at the brother.

He growled, and Antonium stepped beside him, and both of them stared Amy down defiantly.

Amy could still feel the Doctor's fear for her safety, but she met his gaze, and nodded slightly, as if to tell him that everything was going to be okay. The Doctor frowned in confusion, just as Amy withdrew another gun. "You really should be careful where you keep your toys." She remarked to Antonium's brother. "I got this while you were trying to strangle me."

"Amy, don't!" The Doctor cried, wincing when Antonium's brother tightened the chokehold he had around his neck.

"Lower your weapon Amy." Antonium said gently.

"Lower yours!" She hissed back.

It was stalemate for a moment, while each one waited for the other to react. Amy kept her guns trained on the brothers, Antonium's gun was still aimed at the Doctor, who was going nowhere with the grasp Antonium's brother had on him.

And then suddenly, the air was filled with screams, and everyone was thrown to the floor.

* * *

**This time, I will absolutely reply to all of your reviews + give you a preview. I feel mean leaving the chapter hanging like that. But I also feel bad because I can't give my anonymous reviewers previews, like Niro. Get an account already! :D**


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N: Oh gosh guys, I'm sorry that I made you freak out about the cliff-hanger!**

**If you think that was bad, you're not going to be able to read the chapters coming up ;O Trust me, they're even worse!**

**Anyhow, enough about that. Can't spoil what's going to happen. SO. Have another chapter :D**

**(On a side note, has anyone been affected by the London Riots? My little sisters freaked out, and I assured them that it wouldn't happen in our area, because we're on the outskirts of London. But nope, our area got targeted too.)**

* * *

Screaming. Blood. Sobbing. Death.

Opening her eyes, Amy awoke to the chaos surrounding her. Motionless bodies were lying beside her, and she sat up slowly, trying to take in the scene around her through the thick smoke that engulfed the room.

"Doctor?" She whispered hoarsely, struggling to her feet. "Doctor?"

"Help me!" She heard someone cry a couple of metres away, and she turned around to see a small girl lying on the floor, her legs stuck under a wooden beam. "I can't move!"

"It's okay, it's going to be okay." Amy assured her, falling to her knees beside her. "I'll help you."

She tried to move the beam, but it was too heavy. The little girl began to cry, and Amy's heart broke. "Help me!" She cried to the aliens running past her, fleeing for safety. "Help me!"

Nobody stopped, and the little girl screamed as another wooden beam fell from the ceiling, narrowly missing Amy.

"Amy! Amy!"

The voice calling her name was not someone she wanted to see. Antonium emerged from the smoke, and sank down onto his knees beside her. "Are you hurt Amy?"

"No, I'm fine." She said abruptly, turning back to the young girl. "Move this beam!"

Antonium lifted it with ease, and Amy scooped the girl into her arms, mindful of her legs. The girl clung to her, and Amy rose to her feet.

"We have to get out of here!" Antonium cried over the screams of the guests.

"Not without the Doctor!" Amy yelled back, rubbing the girl's back soothingly. "Where is he?"

Antonium gazed around the hall, and shook his head. "I don't know, but it's too dangerous to look for him! We need to go!"

"You go!" Amy told him, passing him the young girl, who he lifted into his arms. "I'm going to find him."

Just as she was about to turn away, Antonium reached out and grabbed her arm. "Amy, staying in here is suicide!" He hissed, his grip tightening.

"I'm not leaving my husband!" She cried, yanking her arm out of his grip. "Take the girl to safety, now!"

Antonium nodded reluctantly, knowing the injured girl had to be his first priority. "Fine. When I have taken her outside, I will return and help you look for him."

"As if I'm going to let you help!" Amy yelled, furious. "You're trying to kill him!"

"Amy, you shouldn't be distressed, so I will do anything to ease you of that. I'll be back."

Without giving Amy a chance to reply, Antonium spun around and ran towards the hall doors, cradling the girl tightly to his chest.

"Doctor!" Amy cried, blindly making her way through the smoke. "Doctor!"

She felt someone bump into her, and she grabbed onto them. "Help me, I'm looking for a man wearing—"

"Get out of my way!" The alien barked, shoving Amy away.

Amy stumbled back from the force, and her back hit the wall. She covered her face with her hands, and took a deep breath to compose herself.

Suddenly, she felt a small tug in her mind. Concentrating on it, Amy moved her fingers to her temples, and felt the Doctor's fear and panic for her filtering through their link.

He was okay.

"Doctor?" She cried, lowering her hands and surging forward. "Doctor, I'm here!"

She felt his relief then, and knew that he was close enough to hear her.

"Amy!" She heard him yell, and she began to run in the direction of his voice. "Amy!"

And then she saw the back of his tweed jacket. She could have cried in relief, but instead, she screamed his name, and the Doctor spun around, his face lighting up when he saw her running towards him.

"Come here you!" She murmured, wrapping her arms tightly around him and fisting her hands in his jacket.

She felt the Doctor laugh, and he hugged her back with just as much force.

"Amy! Doctor!"

At the sound of Antonium's voice, the Doctor stiffened and withdrew from Amy to push her gently behind him.

They saw him then, and he beckoned them forward with his hand. "We need to go, before the whole room collapses."

The Doctor regarded him warily, but nodded, knowing the danger they were all in. He took Amy's hand, and the two of them followed Antonium out of the hall, manoeuvring around rubble, bodies and fire as they ran.

Minutes later, they joined the remaining party guests outside, and gazed at the burning lower floor of the castle.

"What happened in there?" Amy whispered, as the Doctor draped his jacket tenderly over her shoulders to keep her warm.

"Someone wired a bomb into the ceiling." Her husband replied gravely, and Amy shivered.

"Who would do that?" She murmured, shaking her head. "There are people dying in there!"

"I think that was the point of the bomb, to kill the Purian royalty who held the party." Antonium remarked sadly. "Judging from the force of the blast, it was an Atoxic Bomb, which can—"

Suddenly, he froze, and his eyes widened in horror.

"What?" Amy demanded, seeing that the Doctor's expression mirrored his. "What's wrong?"

"An Atoxic bomb is made up of two bombs, and the second is designed to go off exactly thirty minutes after the first one." Antonium explained, frowning in concern.

"Which means…" Amy trailed off, and the three of them gazed anxiously at the castle.

"We need to stop the bomb. The second is far more explosive than the first, and it could tear the planet apart." The Doctor said quietly. "We have about eleven minutes until that happens."

"Eleven?" Amy repeated, worried. "That's not that long."

"I've had worse time limits." The Doctor shrugged, attempting to lighten the situation. "Eleven's a wonderful number. You can do a lot in eleven minutes."

"Can you stop a bomb in eleven minutes?" Amy asked him, and before the Doctor could reply, Antonium spoke.

"No, he can't. But I can, if I help him." He said, and the Doctor's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, really? And what makes you think that I trust you?" He demanded, glaring at him.

"I know that you don't. But listen, you're intelligent enough to know that my species are trained as military soldiers, and that I am skilled enough to unwire an Atoxic bomb in seconds." Antonium replied, staring him down.

The Doctor was silent for a moment, debating, before nodding. "Fine. You can help me."

"Alright then, let's go and save the planet!" Amy exclaimed, stepping forward, but both men blocked her path.

"Don't be ridiculous!" The Doctor hissed, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous for you to come with us!"

Antonium nodded in agreement, and Amy glared at both of them. "I'm coming with you." She said defiantly, hands on her hips.

"No, you're going back to the TARDIS and staying put until I return!" The Doctor told her firmly.

"No!" Amy snapped, furious that the Doctor was being too over-protective again. She was his equal, and she felt that he wasn't treating her like one.

"We don't discuss this!" The Doctor roared; his anger ignited by hers. "I tell you to do something Amelia and you do it!"

Amy continued to glare at him, and the Doctor glared back. Moments later, her face flooded with hurt, and she whirled around and stormed away.

The Doctor watched her walk away sadly, not proud of talking to her the way that he had. But he needed her to get to safety, and the only way to break her stubbornness was to use anger as retaliation.

"Come on Doctor, we need to go." Antonium said, shaking the Doctor from his reverie.

The Doctor nodded, and after glancing at Amy's retreating back, he followed Antonium through the castle gates.

~I~

Once they were inside the burning castle, and standing on the grand staircase outside of the hall, the Doctor licked his finger and held it up in the air.

"Right, second floor, twenty-third room from the blue figix vase." He announced, lowering his hand. "That's where we'll find the bomb."

"Remarkable." Antonium commented in awe as he followed the Doctor up the staircase.

"Thanks, I think." The Doctor muttered, still unsure about Antonium. "Listen, can I ask you a question?"

Antonium nodded cautiously, and he caught up with the Doctor in the hallway, so they could walk side-by-side.

"Why did you keep protecting Amy, before the bomb went off?" The Doctor asked him. "Your brother could have killed her instantly, but you wouldn't let him harm her."

Antonium smiled slightly. "You really don't know, do you?"

"No." The Doctor admitted, as much as he hated to admit that he didn't actually know something. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if it's because you fancy her. Everybody does."

"Doctor, Amy is a beautiful being." Antonium said, and the Doctor nodded in agreement. "But no, I do not 'fancy her', as you put it. She's yours, and I would never interfere with the unconditional love between you two."

The Doctor gazed at him for a moment, before smiling. "You know Antonium, I think I'd like you, if you hadn't tried to kill me earlier."

Antonium didn't return his smile, and the Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Ah yes, I forgot. Your kind is against friendship with other species. Sorry I tried."

The Doctor saw the blue figix vase then, and rushed forward to start counting the doors. "We're nearly there!" He called back to Antonium as he ran down the hallway.

"Good!" Antonium called back, before reaching into his jacket pocket to touch the gun that rested inside. "But your time's almost up, Doctor." He whispered, removing his hand and following the Doctor.

~I~

Once both men were inside the room, they began to search for the bomb, and the Doctor found it strapped under the bed in the middle. They lifted the bed with ease, and turned it over to examine the bomb.

"Let's get to work!" The Doctor exclaimed, slapping Antonium on the back.

Antonium suppressed a shudder at the contact as he joined the Doctor on the floor, and the two of them began to unwire the bomb, snapping cables and tossing wires aside.

The job only took seconds, due to both of their quick minds, and the countdown on the bomb faded. Antonium rose to his feet, but the Doctor remained on the floor to examine their handiwork. "We did it Antonium!" He said cheerfully. "Now all this bomb can be used for is a keepsake on someone's mantelpiece, so I guess it's not a complete waste."

Antonium was silent, and the Doctor frowned. He rose to his feet and turned to face him, when he saw him pointing a gun at him.

"Not this again." The Doctor sighed, holding his hands in the air. "Look Antonium, we just saved this planet. Doesn't that count for something?"

"Not to me." Antonium said flatly. "Why did you kill my father?"

"He asked me to." The Doctor replied quietly. "Let me explain."

Antonium was silent, so the Doctor continued. "Look, your father was in trouble from the Gigans that controlled your planet at the time. He had some valuable information on them, which he sold to the Hikis. He was the reason for the war between your planet and theirs. And the Gigans wanted him dead, and he would die a traitor's death in front of your whole planet."

The Doctor paused, and Antonium nodded, wanting him to carry on. "Your father asked me to kill him, knowing that there was no way to save him. I offered to take him away to another part of the Universe, but he refused to leave you and your family. He wanted to die heroically, to stop the Gigans from coming to your home and killing all of you."

"So you came to my home instead." Antonium whispered, a tear sliding down his cheek, and the Doctor bowed his head.

"I was a different person then, and I didn't have the compassion that I do now." The Doctor told him softly, raising his head to look at him again. "If your father had asked me to kill him now, I would never, ever take his life. Do you understand?"

"I understand Doctor."

The Doctor lowered his hands, and smiled in relief. "Good."

"I understand that you're a liar!" Antonium roared, and the Doctor raised his hands again. "My father would never start a war and betray our planet: he'd rather die first!"

"He did." The Doctor reminded him, though regretted it when Antonium moved his finger over the trigger of the gun. "Your father committed a crime, and he wanted to be punished for it. I complied, but I am not proud of what I did."

"Stop lying to me!" Antonium raged, his cerulean eyes burning with hatred.

~I~

After her row with the Doctor, Amy had returned to the TARDIS to sit in the console room and sulk until her husband returned. He'd have to do hell of a lot to make up for shouting at her like that.

The TARDIS made a groaning sound then, and Amy frowned. "Are you okay?" She asked her, standing up to rest her hand on the console.

The TARDIS engines grunted again, and Amy knew something was wrong. "The Doctor." She realised, worried. She raised her fingers to her temples, and felt the Doctor's fear again.

Latching onto his emotion, she delved further into his mind, until she caught a fleeting image of a gun pointed at his chest.

"Oh my God." She breathed, lowering her hands and turning her attention to the console. "We need to save him!"

The TARDIS hummed in agreement, and Amy began to enter the destination code to the room where the Doctor was, that his ship had just given to her through their minds.

Suddenly, it was as if she knew everything about the TARDIS. She knew what every button and lever did, and she controlled the console with ease, guiding the TARDIS directly to the Doctor. She used the blue stabilisers to make the ship land silently, and used the cloaking device to make it invisible.

And then, once she'd landed, she headed over to the chest in the corner and took out a shovel.

~I~

Wind that had come from nowhere was swirling around them, but Antonium paid it no attention. The Doctor knew exactly what the wind was though, and he tried to keep Antonium talking until he could edge towards his unseen TARDIS and sneak in.

"Look Antonium, I'm sorry. There's nothing more I can say, or do." The Doctor said gently, lowering his hands.

"You can. You can die for what you did!" Antonium hissed.

Before he could squeeze the trigger, Amy suddenly appeared out of thin air, and she whacked him over the head with a shovel, knocking him unconscious.

The Doctor watched Antonium fall to the floor in amazement, and then glanced up at his wife, stunned.

Amy dropped her shovel, and met the Doctor's shocked gaze. "Well, I bet you're glad that I didn't stay put after all!" She announced, smirking, knowing that she'd just saved his life.

"Amelia, what you just did was incredibly reckless and stupid." The Doctor whispered, still stunned that she'd managed to fly his TARDIS and knock out a powerful alien using a garden utensil.

"I just saved your life!" She hissed, angry now.

"But it was also absolutely magnificent." He added, beaming. "Well done you!"

Amy would normally be chuffed with his praise, but not this time. She was still furious with him after the way that he'd yelled at her. "If you ever yell at me like that again, I will stick your screwdriver where the sun doesn't shine!" She snapped, ignoring his admiration.

"Ooh!" The Doctor exclaimed, grinning, before he recognised the anger behind her words. "Ah, wait. That doesn't sound very pleasant."

"It won't be." She stated furiously. "Why did you shout at me like that?"

"Because it was the only way to get you to listen to me and stay out of danger." The Doctor admitted.

"Stop being so bloody noble." Amy sighed, her anger fading now. "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, and I'm sorry." The Doctor said smoothly, attempting to reconcile with her, even if he didn't fully believe what she was saying. After all, she couldn't protect herself from the cracks in time.

"Good. Now let's get out of here. This party really sucked." Amy complained, interrupting the Doctor's thoughts.

Laughing, the Doctor followed her into the invisible TARDIS.

~I~

After the TARDIS had flown away, Antonium came around, and he sat up in confusion. He rubbed his head, feeling a lump, and then saw a shovel next to him.

He could sense Amy's scent on it, and shook his head in disbelief. "Wow." He murmured, rising to his feet.

Just as he was about to leave the room, he heard something teleport in behind him, and he froze when he heard the sound of the Daleks.

"Are you friends of the Doctor?" The Daleks demanded, and Antonium turned around to face them.

"No. Never." He said quickly, trying to conceal his fear.

"Then we need you to help us." The white Dalek told him. "He is a threat, and he must be stopped."

Antonium was interested immediately, having missed out on his chance to harm the Doctor. "How are you going to stop him?" He asked them eagerly.

"We have a trap for him, using his companion as bait." The Dalek explained, and Antonium was instantly horrified.

"Amy? No, you can't hurt her!"

"She will be exterminated!" The Daleks announced together.

Antonium's horror intensified. "No, no! You can't! She's pregnant!"

"She must die!"

"Kill the Doctor, but not her!" Antonium pleaded. His species were designed to preserve and nurture pregnant females, and he couldn't allow Amy to be hurt.

"Help us, or be exterminated!" The white Dalek thundered, and all of the Daleks pointed their weapons at them.

Antonium was helpless, stuck in a life or death situation. He had no choice now. If his brother could defy the laws of their species, then so could he.

"Fine. I'll help you kill Amy and the Doctor." He whispered, defeated.

* * *

**You have to remember Antonium. He will be a very important character in the future, especially to Amy. Okay? **

**Leave a review; you're given a preview. Aw yeahhh.**

**I think you'll like the next chapter. It's the return of Amy and the Doctor's friends. Woo!**

**Hayley x**

**p.s Niro, I hope you're satisfied that I finally gave you an answer about the whole pregnancy thing :D It just might be a while before Amy and the Doctor realise, as knowing those two, they won't have a clue! **

**And Ett18, thank you so much for your kind review! :)**


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N: I'm so happy right now. I got AAB in my results which means I got into the University I wanted to go to, and my photo was in the newspaper about it! Haha! **

**Anyhow, enough about my life! I'm just in such a good mood right now :D About the story:**

**WARNING. This chapter and the next one kind of...verge on 'M' content, more so in the next chapter. There's a reason for that, trust me. Don't worry, this story will stay at a 'T'. If my younger sisters didn't find the content offensive, then neither should my younger readers! :D**

**As always, thank you to my anonymous reviewers. I'm so glad I didn't disable anonymous reviews. Niro, thank you for always reviewing; I love reading your feedback. And thanks to Starryeyed, Ett18, Arik and Ellie too, and Alyssa! (And sorry, I already have a name in mind for the baby! :[ )**

* * *

Approximately one week had passed since the Purian Party, and things were returning to normal in the TARDIS. The Doctor had stopped being over-protective, much to Amy's relief, and the two were continuing their honeymoon.

Today they were spending the day in the TARDIS, so that the Doctor could do some maintenance work. Knowing he'd be preoccupied for a while, Amy chose to catch up on some much-deserved sleep, and she went into their bedroom for a nap.

A couple of hours later, the Doctor was sitting on his swing beneath the console room floor, rewiring some atmospheric cables, when he got the fright of his life.

"Jack!" He yelped when his friend suddenly appeared in front of him, nearly causing him to fall off of his swing. "What the…how did you—"

"How did I appear magically in front of you?" Jack interrupted, grinning. "Using a vortex manipulator of course, silly. I had a chat with the TARDIS before your wedding, and she gave me permission to zap in here whenever I feel like it."

"Oh did she now? I'll be having words with her later." The Doctor muttered, leaning his head back to glare up at the TARDIS console. "What are you doing here Jack? I told you that we'd come and visit you after our honeymoon was over."

"Maybe I wanted to join you on your honeymoon." Jack said suggestively, and the Doctor kicked him. "Kidding monkey boy! No, I actually came here because I thought you'd be interested in exploring a creepy mansion with me."

"Okay, you've got my attention." The Doctor said, removing his goggles and tossing them aside.

"Well, some humans have gone missing there, and there's definitely something extra-terrestrial going on, so I thought this would be right up your street. You love being nosy."

"Thanks." The Doctor said dryly, rolling his eyes. "But you're right. It's very far up my street."

"Great!" Jack exclaimed, slapping the Doctor on his back. "Let's go and get Alonzo!"

"Why didn't he come with you?" The Doctor asked him as they walked up the stairs to the console. "He has a vortex manipulator as well, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, but he didn't want to leave Rory and Hannah."

The Doctor shot him a questioning look, and Jack smiled. "We're staying with them at the moment. We get on really well."

"All six of us can explore together then! We'll be like the three musketeers…plus an extra three!" The Doctor remarked, beaming.

"Cool. But before we go exploring, can I get some rest?" Jack asked, stifling a yawn. "Trying to locate this bloomin' TARDIS really drained me."

"Of course. Here, I'll give you and Alonzo a bedroom, and Rory and Hannah too." The Doctor squatted on the floor next to the console, and reached underneath it to pull out a tangle of wires.

"How on Earth are you going to undo all of those knots?" Jack asked him in bewilderment.

The Doctor was affronted by his question. "They're supposed to be knotted. It makes lots of sparks that way."

"I don't think they're supposed to sp—"

"Working. Hush." The Doctor instructed, inspecting the tangle of wires. He found the wire he wanted moments later, and licked it.

"You disgust me." Jack commented, but the Doctor ignored him, too focused on connecting the wire into another plug in the console.

"Done!" He announced, rising to his feet. "The TARDIS will take you to your new bedroom. Amy's asleep, so be quiet."

Jack disappeared up the console room stairs, and the Doctor returned to his maintenance work, focusing on the console devices this time.

Minutes later, he heard Jack shriek.

Looking up, he saw Jack walking back to the console room, with a bleary-eyed Amy following him. "I thought I told you be quiet!" He chastised him.

"It's your fault I screamed!" Jack told him angrily. "Why have you given Alonzo and I bunk beds?"

"Bunk beds are cool!" The Doctor exclaimed, beaming. "A bed…with a ladder! You can't beat that!"

Groaning, Jack slapped his hand to his forehead, and Amy glared at her husband. "Don't even think about giving us bunk beds too!" She hissed, her hands on her hips.

"Great idea Pond!" The Doctor enthused, giving her a thumbs-up sign. "I want top bunk!"

"Over my dead body. You are not giving us bunk beds!" Amy growled as the Doctor took out the tangle of wires again.

"Too late." He replied, grinning.

"Doctor, what can't you do in bunk beds?" Amy asked him bluntly, but to no one's surprise, the Doctor didn't understand what she was implying.

"No idea, but I do know that you can get bunk beds with a slide. Ooh, that would be fun. Let's have bunk beds with slides!" The Doctor said cheerfully, adding another knot to the tangle. "I think Rory and Hannah will like having bunk beds. Better than the bed in the Honeymoon Suite with the heart cushions. Bleurgh."

"Let me be more specific. What can't couples do in bunk beds?" Amy demanded, looking at the Doctor pointedly.

"I don't understand." He replied, confused. "Well, that doesn't happen very often."

"Okay then, I'll narrow it down some more. What did we do last night, and this morning?"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Oh! _Oh_."

"Put our bed back. Now!" Amy hissed, before whirling around and storming out of the console room.

"Yes dear!" The Doctor called meekly, yanking out a wire from the tangle and throwing it over his shoulder.

Jack watched Amy walk away, a curious expression on his face. "What's up with her?"

"She's having one of her mood swings." The Doctor replied distractedly. "Just be grateful that you weren't here last week. You don't want to know what I had to do to get her to forgive me after I raised my voice at her."

"Ooh, do tell." Jack said, smirking, and the Doctor rolled his eyes at him as he pushed the wires back underneath the console.

"Using the words of my wife, over my dead body!"

~I~

Once all of their friends were in the TARDIS, Alonzo and Jack headed to their bedroom, and Rory and Hannah went off to find Amy, leaving the Doctor to finish the maintenance work.

It didn't take him long to finish, and he joined Rory, Hannah and Amy in the kitchen afterwards. He was pleased to see that Amy was smiling, and he stood beside her as she chatted away.

But the Doctor soon grew bored of their chatter about Leadworth, and he started fidgeting.

Hannah and Rory watched him with raised eyebrows, and Amy sighed. "What's up with you?" She asked him, frowning.

"I'm bored." The Doctor said glumly, and Rory chuckled.

"Sorry that we're not more interesting company." He remarked, and the Doctor shook his head.

"It's not you, I just want to go and explore that house now. Do we really have to wait for Jack and Alonzo? They'll be ages!" He whined, and his tone made Hannah laugh.

Amy however wasn't amused. "Go and find something to do then."

So the Doctor did. He tested out the bunk beds, so entertained by the slide that he contemplated reinstalling the bunks in his bedroom before realising that Amy would probably kill him if he did, and then he ended up in the swimming pool. The TARDIS had seen his enjoyment from the slide, and she had placed one in the swimming pool, much to his delight.

After changing into his swimming trunks and allowing Bubble and Squeak to pull him into the pool, the Doctor tested out the slide. It was perfect, aside from the fact that the Heartreeps kept trying to fling themselves onto it.

He began swimming laps, and Bubble and Squeak started to swim alongside him. "You want to race, do you?" He asked them as he came up for air. "Okay then…go!"

He set off, and was dismayed when the Heartreeps overtook him easily. He stopped halfway, and splashed water at them. "Not fair! I lack aquatic genes!" He exclaimed, and the Heartreeps chirped, almost as if they were amused.

He heard footsteps padding across the pool floor then, and he turned around in the water, only to see the person he'd least expected to join him, especially because she seemed annoyed with him.

"Hey." Amy said quietly as she approached the edge of the pool.

The Doctor couldn't reply, transfixed by the sight of her in her emerald bikini. The colour of it contrasted strikingly with her auburn hair and her ivory skin, and the style accentuated her curves, leaving him completely mesmerised.

Amy laughed softly, and slowly lowered herself into the pool. Bubble and Squeak immediately swam over to her, and she showered them with affection while the Doctor tried to snap himself out of his trance.

"Hi." He managed finally, swimming over to join her. "I didn't think you'd want to join me."

Amy looked at him quizzically, and he smiled sheepishly back at her. Her face lit up in realisation. "Because I was in a bad mood? Oh Doctor, don't be silly." She said fondly, inching forward to twine her arms around his neck. "I haven't been feeling well, and I've been taking that out on you. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologise." The Doctor replied gently, guiding them over to the shallow end of the pool so that they could stand. "Just warn me the next time that you don't feel well. You can actually be quite scary when you're angry."

"Oh really?" Amy remarked, grinning. "I should be ill more often."

The Doctor grimaced at that, and her smile faded.

"I'm sorry." She whispered again, and the Doctor placed his hands on her cheeks to tilt her head up.

"There's a rule now, no apologising in the swimming pool." He told her playfully, before kissing her tenderly.

Amy smiled against his lips, and then she raised her hand and touched his temple. The Doctor pulled away immediately, his eyes wide as he felt their link open, and then tremor. "Amy…" He trailed off when she pressed her forehead to his, intensifying the connection between them.

His eyes closed, and he sighed in contentment. "Amy, if we stay like this, I won't be able to stop myself from—"

Amy's lips on his interrupted him, and the Doctor groaned as he felt her lust seep through their link. But as much as he loved exploring their new intimacy, they wouldn't be able to do anything when their friends were travelling with them.

"Amy." He murmured against her lips. "Our friends…"

Amy withdrew from him momentarily to smirk at him. "Don't care." She whispered.

The Doctor surrendered then, and his hands gripped her shoulders, bringing her body closer to his. He pressed his lips to hers, and Amy's mouth instantly opened, feeling the weight of his desire. Her hands began to drift down his chest, and the Doctor shivered. His hands left her shoulders, and trailed down the expanse of her back, until he found the clasp of her bikini.

Just before he could undo it, they were interrupted by Jack's laughter, and they both turned to look at him in annoyance.

"Seriously guys, why couldn't you do that in your bedroom?" He asked them, laughing, and the Doctor sighed.

"Why couldn't you stay in your bedroom?" He retorted, releasing Amy and heading towards the pool steps.

"Touché. Is there room for me in there?"

"Absolutely not." The Doctor replied, shoving him as he walked past. "Look, now that you're up, we can go to that house."

Jack turned and followed him out of the poolroom. "You know, those shorts are clinging to you in all the right places." He said teasingly.

The Doctor would have thrown something at him if he could, but he didn't have anything, so he settled for shoving him again.

Alonzo passed them on his way into the poolroom, and he saw Amy standing in the pool, her hands over her face.

"Sorry if Jack upset you." He said, walking to the edge of the pool. "Are you okay?"

Amy lowered her hands, and gave him a small smile. "I'm fine, it's not him."

She started to walk up the pool steps, but she stopped halfway, her face pale. Alonzo offered her his hand, and he helped her out of the pool. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked in concern. "If you're not up to exploring this mansion, then—"

"I'm fine." Amy assured him, releasing his hand. "Chlorine just makes me feel a bit light-headed, that's all."

Alonzo nodded, but he didn't look convinced. Amy smiled at him again, and walked away towards the direction of the wardrobe. Once she was inside, her smile instantly disappeared, and she sank to the floor, clutching her head.

This wasn't the first time that she'd felt faint. She hadn't been feeling like herself for the last week, and she didn't understand why. She'd been sick, she kept feeling dizzy, and her mood swings were even worse than usual. The Doctor had warned her that she might experience some symptoms from her mind adjusting to their psychic link, but she never expected to feel so different.

Of course, there were advantages too. She craved the Doctor's touch constantly, and she loved her new intimacy with him. Being able to see into his mind while they made love was phenomenal. There was no other way to describe it.

A knock on the door broke her reverie, and she pulled herself to her feet, unwilling for anyone to see her on the floor. "Yes?" She called, reaching for a towel and beginning to dry herself off.

"It's me." The Doctor replied. "Can I come in?"

Amy laughed quietly. "Of course you can. We're married, you don't need to ask for my permission to enter the same room as me."

"Old habits die hard." The Doctor remarked as he opened the door and stepped in. "I've always had to ask that question whenever I had female companions onboard. You wouldn't believe how many times I've been yelled at for stepping in here without knocking."

"Well, you won't need to ask that question anymore, because there will never be another female companion onboard." Amy replied firmly, and her husband nodded quickly.

"Of course. Wouldn't dream of inviting a female to stay with us." The Doctor said hastily. "Does that mean I have to kick Hannah out of the TARDIS?"

Amy chuckled, and ruffled his damp hair. "No. She's allowed. Are they waiting for us in the console room?"

The Doctor nodded as he removed his swimming trunks and reached for a fresh set of clothes. "Yep. I don't want to leave them in there for long though. You know what Jack's like. I spent a lot of time fixing up my second wife today, so I won't leave him around her console for too long." He paused as he took out his red bowtie, before continuing. "So, are you excited about this trip?"

He didn't get a reply, and he looked over at his wife, who was staring into space. When she felt him watching her, she shook herself out of her stupor. "Sorry, what did you say?"

The Doctor regarded her curiously as he buttoned up his shirt. "Doesn't matter. Are you okay Pond?"

"I'm fine." She replied, turning her back on him to face the wardrobe. "I just want to get to the mansion as soon as possible."

"That's the spirit!" The Doctor said cheerfully, pulling on his tweed jacket. "I'll see you in the console room; don't be too long!" Grinning, he kissed the top of her head as he waltzed past her out of the wardrobe.

Once the door had shut behind him, Amy walked into the adjoining bathroom and splashed her face with cold water. "Snap out of it Pond." She muttered to herself, looking at her reflection in the mirror above the sink. "What is wrong with you?"

~I~

Ten minutes later, she joined the others in the console room. Jack began to tease her the moment he saw her, because according to him, she wasn't dressed 'like normal'. Instead, she'd decided to dress more conservatively, swapping her usual mini skirt for a pair of jeans and a red tartan shirt. Her damp hair was scraped back into a ponytail, and she wasn't wearing any make-up.

"Shut up." She said tiredly, bored of Jack's teasing, and she sank down onto one of the console chairs. She ignored the concerned looks Jack and Alonzo shared, and turned her gaze to her husband, watching him pilot the TARDIS.

As she watched him, her surroundings began to blur together, and suddenly the only thing she could focus on was the Doctor. She blinked, and her vision instantly cleared.

Frowning, she touched her forehead, and felt the link between her and the Doctor react.

The Doctor must have felt her in his mind, because he looked up from the console and grinned at her.

She smiled back at him, and the Doctor's smile grew when he felt her love for him through their bond. She'd managed to conceal the way she was feeling by focusing solely on him.

The Doctor tapped his temple once, allowing Amy to feel the love he had for her too, before he turned his attention back to the console.

Amy lowered her hand, comforted for the moment, and looked around the console room to survey her friends. Rory and Hannah were talking amongst themselves, completely oblivious to everyone, but Jack and Alonzo were staring at her. She smiled reassuringly at them, and Alonzo turned his head to whisper in Jack's ear.

"Maybe Amy shouldn't come with us."

Both Amy and the Doctor heard his whisper, and they looked at him. "Why shouldn't I?" Amy demanded, rising to her feet.

"I don't think they understand the side effects from our psychic link." The Doctor told her, his eyes narrowing at his friends. "Amy's fine."

Jack and Alonzo looked unsure, and Amy sighed. "Really, I'm fine." She confirmed. "Stop making such a fuss."

Before Jack and Alonzo could say anything, they all felt the TARDIS land.

The Doctor met Amy's eyes, and he grinned. He lived for adventures like this. "Come along Pond!" He exclaimed, leaving the console and bounding down the stairs.

Amy touched her forehead again, and let the Doctor's enthusiasm wash over her. "Coming!" She called excitedly, running after him.

Jack and Alonzo looked at each other again as they followed them out of the TARDIS, and Rory and Hannah trailed after them.

When everyone had stepped out of the TARDIS, all six of them looked up at the creepy mansion in front of them. "You know, for a mansion in the 42nd century, it doesn't look much different from that creepy one in Leadworth." Rory commented.

"This is the one from Leadworth." Jack replied. "When we first decided to visit you, we were 2000 years out, and we landed here. This place has alien written all over it."

"So it's alien in our time?" Hannah asked, and Alonzo shook his head.

"Oh no. It's harmless in your time, but there's definitely something in there now."

"Instead of standing around and chatting about it, let's go and explore!" The Doctor exclaimed, pointing his sonic screwdriver at the metal gates.

"Why didn't you park inside of the gates?" Alonzo asked him. "Wouldn't that have been easier?"

"Look, I tried, but my coordinates were a little off." The Doctor confessed sheepishly. "But how hard can it be to open up an iron gate?"

~I~

Six minutes later, the Doctor was still trying to open the gate. Finally he gave up, and he tossed his sonic screwdriver over his shoulder. "Rubbish." He said crossly. "In future I'm only going to use that for screwing in screws!"

Rolling her eyes, Amy picked it up from the grass and gave it back to him, knowing he didn't mean what he was saying. The Doctor placed it back in his tweed jacket, and stepped back from the gate. "Maybe we should return to the TARDIS and I'll park us—"

"No need." Jack said, pointing at a hole in the wall surrounding the mansion. "We can squeeze through there."

"Or we could climb over the gate?" The Doctor suggested.

Everyone ignored him, and followed Jack to the gap in the brick. The Doctor reluctantly followed them, and then pushed past them all to go through first. "Ladies first, but men just before." He muttered, emerging from the opening.

"You heard him ladies." He heard Jack say, before he joined him. "So Doc, are you getting the same, creepy alien vibe I got when I arrived here?"

"Absolutely." The Doctor replied, withdrawing his screwdriver and pointing it at the mansion to scan it. "I can smell human flesh, which is never a good sign."

"Lovely." Jack grimaced as they walked towards the mansion. "Do you know what's in there?"

"Nope, but I know that whatever's in there isn't actually home right now." The Doctor commented, examining the readings on his screwdriver.

"That's a relief." They heard Rory remark as he joined them. "I don't fancy becoming a four-headed alien's next meal."

"Oh don't worry. Quatrifilicas are only interested in eating fried human fingers." The Doctor told him. "They nearly tricked me into eating some once, I just thought they were decorative chips."

"You're strange." Rory said, and the Doctor beamed, taking that as a compliment.

The three reached the entrance to the mansion then, and looked behind them to see their partners running towards them. "Thanks for waiting." Hannah said sarcastically as they joined them.

"Sorry, you know what I'm like." The Doctor replied, shrugging. "Have to…" But he trailed off when he felt Amy latch onto his arm. He looked at her questioningly, and she smiled back at him.

"Okay…" He said slowly, not minding in the slightest. "Let's go in!"

Only one of the main doors was unlocked, and the doorway was hardly wide enough to fit two people through at a time. But that didn't matter to Amy, and she squeezed in beside the Doctor, reluctant to release him.

The entrance hall was pitch black, but the Doctor could just about make out the chandelier on the ceiling. He aimed his sonic at it, and the lights came on, illuminating the room.

"Now it's not so creepy." Amy murmured, resting her head on his shoulder.

The Doctor spotted a cable for the light generator, and pointed his sonic at it. "And now the rest of the mansion is lit." He announced, as the others joined them in the hall. "Judging by the amount of dust, the electricity hasn't been used in a while, so whatever's here can't survive the light."

"That will be a useful signal. If the lights go out, we'll know we have alien company. I think that we should split up." Jack said, and the Doctor nodded in agreement.

"I don't like that idea." Rory whispered, looking around nervously.

"It's too big to scale this mansion together. We'll cover more ground in a shorter amount of time if we split up." Jack told him. "Alonzo and I will check the cellars, you and Hannah can search this floor, and the Doctor and Amy can look around upstairs. We'll meet back here in an hour."

The Doctor frowned, disliking another person taking charge, but before he could say anything, Amy was dragging him towards the grand staircase.

"Why the hurry Pond?" He asked her as they ascended.

Amy turned her head to smile at him, and the Doctor froze on the staircase when he saw the colour of her eyes. Her irises were gold.

He blinked in surprise, and her eyes were hazel again.

Putting it down to the lighting, the Doctor shook his head and continued up the staircase. "So, which room do you want to explore first?"

"Don't mind." She replied quietly, still smiling. "You choose."

"In that case, let's go to the master suite." The Doctor said. "There'll be more space to explore then."

Amy's smile became a smirk. Exploring was the last thing on her mind.

* * *

**Me thinks Amy isn't acting like herself ;) And I don't think it's just the pregnancy causing her behaviour either! Find out more next chapter ;)**

**Let me know your thoughts! You'll get a preview if you do; and it's a preview I think everyone will like ;) If Romance and flirtation is your thing of course ;D**

**Hayley x**


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N: Got some rather amazing news, so I threw all of my energy into writing instead of replying to reviews. This one's a long chapter to make up for failing to do that; I'm sorry :(**

**Niro, you're a genius. And in answer to your other question, the mansion is rather big...but I'm sure other 'things' will give away what those two are up to.**

**Again, warning for a slightly 'M' beginning. Don't like it, don't read it! :)**

* * *

Amy was feeling strange again, but she didn't feel bad this time. Gone was the dizziness and sickness. Instead, she was feeling intense. She couldn't describe it in any other way.

She'd felt like that earlier, in the swimming pool with the Doctor, but it was stronger now. She'd been glad that she'd been given the upstairs to explore with her husband. All she could think about was him again.

It didn't matter to her that they were in a creepy mansion with aliens that could turn up at any point. That problem was insignificant to the fire spreading through her veins.

Of course, the Doctor was oblivious to her thoughts, but he wouldn't be for long. He was currently exploring the master suite of the mansion, scanning furniture with his sonic screwdriver and sniffing the walls.

"Any help Pond?" He called, interrupting her reverie.

Amy couldn't even think about helping him, not when she felt the way she did. "You don't need my help." She replied, stretching her arms over her head.

The Doctor glanced at her, and saw that her shirt had risen up. His eyes widened, and Amy smiled, enjoying his heated gaze.

He blinked, and the spell was broken. He turned away from her to lean down and examine under the bed, and Amy bit her lip.

"Besides, I rather like my view from here." She murmured, leaning against the bedroom wall and gazing at the Doctor's rear.

The Doctor visibly trembled at the fervour in her tone, and he straightened up. "Is it me, or is it hot in here?" He commented, ignoring his wife's remark. Fanning himself with his hand, he moved towards the window and opened it to let the cool air into the room.

The breeze did nothing to cool him down though. Beads of sweat began to form on his hairline, and he touched his forehead with his hand.

The moment he did that, the psychic link between him and Amy flew open, and he was instantly overwhelmed by her emotions. Her mind was red-hot with desire. There was something else simmering underneath that though, and the Doctor whirled around to face her.

The instant their eyes locked, the Doctor was captivated. Everything around them disappeared, and he felt his body gravitating towards her, almost magnetically, and their charged link was the tow.

"I don't understand." He heard himself whisper, but his voice sounded far away.

He reached her then, and his hands, of their own accord, pushed her up against the wall. Amy's eyes fluttered closed, and she smiled.

And then she whispered his name. His real name, in his home language.

Something inside the Doctor exploded, and he crashed his lips to hers. Amy gasped wildly into his mouth, and her hands fisted in his brown hair. But she wasn't close enough.

Raising his hands, the Doctor touched her temples, widening their link. Suddenly they weren't two minds; they were one.

_United._

_Connected._

_Together._

_Alive._

They were panting now, engulfed in heat, and desire. Their nerve endings were on fire, ignited by the other's touch, and they couldn't get enough. One of the Doctor's hands trailed to Amy's thigh, and he hitched her leg around his hip.

It wasn't enough. Amy needed more, and she arched her back.

Their roaming hands weren't enough either. They needed to be closer.

_Bed._

The word echoed in both of their minds, but neither cared who had suggested it. Somehow they made it over to the bed, and the Doctor pushed Amy down onto it, his timeless eyes gleaming predatorily.

_Open your eyes._

Amy's eyes flew open, and her golden irises glowed, radiating her want. Her _need._

The barrier of their clothing was instantly taken away, and then they were one again.

_United._

_Connected._

_Together._

_Alive._

~I~

The heat disappeared almost as quickly as it had arrived. The Doctor and Amy were both trembling as they put their clothing back on, and they didn't speak. Both of them were confused; they hardly remembered what had occurred between them, even though it had only been moments ago.

And they'd never felt so vulnerable in front of each other. Their minds were open now, their psychic link had finished forming, and they were completely exposed to one another.

They could hardly tell whose thought was whose. They were both thinking the same thing; their minds were full of questions about what had just happened between them.

They left the room in silence, both of them wondering how to break the sudden tension.

_Do I ask him what happened or…_

_Shall I ask her about…_

They stopped walking to look at one another, and they laughed nervously.

_This will take some getting used to._ Amy thought, and the Doctor nodded his agreement.

_You're telling me. I have no idea how this happened, or what just happened. _

_I was feeling weird before. _Amy admitted, frowning._ But I don't know why we both lost it like that._

"Amy? Doctor? Where are you?"

_Jack?_ They both thought at the same time, confused, and they looked at each other.

_How long has it been?_

The Doctor looked at his watch. _Definitely more than one hour. We'd better go and meet them._

He offered her his hand, and she took it. They were both relieved that there were no more, out-of-this-universe feelings between them when they touched, and they hurried down the stairs to meet their friends.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Jack demanded when he saw them approaching. And then he caught sight of their rumpled clothing, tousled hair, and their flushed faces. "Tell me you two didn't…"

Amy felt the Doctor searching for an excuse, but she squared her shoulders and stared defiantly back at Jack. "That is none of your business." She said haughtily, smoothing her hair back. The Doctor had yanked her hair band out during their _incident_ upstairs, and as a result, her hair was completely dishevelled.

_He always did have a fetish for my hair._

The Doctor sniffed. _Of course I do. It's red. It's long. It's magnificent. _

Amy beamed, and she kissed him, right in front of their friends, who looked confused.

"Are we missing something here?" Rory asked in confusion.

The Doctor withdrew from Amy to smile awkwardly at them. "Uh…yeah. So here's the summary of the story: our link's finished forming, and now we have the same mind."

Everyone looked astonished by that, and the Doctor felt insulted. _Don't know why they look so surprised. It's normal to share minds. Well, it used to be._

_They're just jealous. _Amy squeezed his hand comfortingly, and the Doctor smiled at her.

"That explains the heat." They heard Jack mutter, and they looked at him in confusion.

"What?" The Doctor demanded.

"Nothing." Jack said quickly. "Did you find anything upstairs?"

The Doctor winced_. Whoops. _"Um…"

"I take that as a 'I was too busy screwing my wife to look for alien signs'." Jack remarked, rolling his eyes. "Doesn't matter. I don't think we'll find anything there. I think we should go to the loft."

The Doctor nodded, and they all followed Jack up the stairs. They passed the master suite on the way, and they paused outside of it.

"What did you two do in here?" Alonzo asked, peering in. Everything inside the room looked as if it had been scorched, and the temperature inside was stifling, despite the open window.

_Oh dear._ "Who said we were even in that room?" The Doctor asked quickly.

Jack raised his eyebrows at him. "Oh please. It smells of sex."

_Kill me now. _Groaning, the Doctor buried his face in his wife's hair.

_Don't be ashamed. I'm not. Look what's happened because of it._

The Doctor raised his head and met her gaze. _But I don't understand what happened._

_You know I don't either. But I'm not going to regret it. _

"Okay, this will take some getting used to, watching you two converse silently." Jack muttered, and Amy and the Doctor looked away from each other to look at him. "Let's go up to the attic before I pass out from the heat."

They walked past the master suite, and walked through the vast corridors until Hannah spotted a hatch in the ceiling. The Doctor used his screwdriver to open it, and a ladder fell down. To their disgust, the rungs of the ladder were dripping with a pale, viscous substance.

"There is no way I'm touching that." Jack said immediately, holding his hands up.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his friend, the Doctor touched the sticky liquid with his finger. "Human flesh." He told them, examining his finger. Rory heaved behind him, but he continued. "My guess is, these aliens are fabricated from melted skin. There are only two types of species who are made from flesh, and both of them hate light."

He finished his speech by wiping the substance from his finger onto Jack's military jacket.

"Thanks for that." Jack muttered, looking down in revulsion at the stain.

"No, thank you. Your jacket was the perfect hand-cleanser." The Doctor said cheerfully, placing his foot on the first rung of the ladder. "Let's go up, but mind, it will be a slippery ascent!"

He reached the hatch first, and climbed up to help his friends up too. Amy was behind him, and she grimaced when her foot made a squelching sound on one of the rungs.

_Oh lovely. Flesh-covered converses. Maybe that should be a brand. Who knows, they might already exist. The Doctor would know; he probably owns his own pair._

The Doctor laughed out loud at Amy's thought, startling their friends. "No Amy, I don't, but there's a pair of crocodile skin shoes somewhere in the TARDIS. Present from my smelly godmother; she said that if I loved humans so much, I should wear the same shoes as them."

Amy laughed as he helped her into the loft. "Trust me, they're not fashionable Doctor."

"Give it a few years, and they will be. I'll buy you a pair if we ever visit that time period of Earth." The Doctor told her, now helping Hannah into the loft.

"That's sweet of you to offer, but no thanks." Amy said, and the Doctor chuckled.

"Well, if we need to run to safety, it's going to be impossible using this ladder." Jack muttered as he climbed up to join them. "Who's going to fall to their death first?"

"Always so negative." The Doctor said, making a tutting sound. "It shouldn't matter to you anyway, you'll be alive afterwards. Maybe you can die jumping down, and then we can all land on your body to cushion our fall?"

"Oh gee, thanks!" Jack exclaimed.

The Doctor glanced at Amy, and shrugged his shoulders. _It's actually not a bad idea…_

_Don't even think about it. _She replied silently, grinning.

_Spoilsport. _Rising to his feet, the Doctor moved away from the hatch, allowing Rory, Hannah and Alonzo the room to climb in.

"Uh…I don't think we should stay up here." Rory muttered, rubbing his arms. "It's cold, and there are no lights."

"There is no electricity or power up here. Strange." The Doctor mused, illuminating the loft as best he could with his sonic screwdriver. "Didn't any of you have the sense to bring a torch?"

"What am I, superman?" Jack retorted, rolling his eyes.

Amy took out her sonic, and began to walk forward, away from them. "Come on guys, let's go! Unless you're chicken, and then I'll have to look around by myself!" She called back to them.

"Not a good idea." Jack muttered, following after her.

"Alonzo, stay by the hatch. If you see the lights from down below switch off, warn us." The Doctor instructed, and Alonzo nodded. "Rory and Hannah, you can come with us."

They agreed, even though Rory was reluctant to, and they followed the Doctor. They met up with Amy and Jack, and the Doctor quickly overtook them, taking the lead.

It didn't take him long to find something. The light from his sonic illuminated a pewter surface, casting a dim reflection, and he stepped forward to take a closer look.

"Jackpot!" He exclaimed, and the others hurried forward to join him.

"You call this a jackpot?" Rory remarked, horrified when he saw what the Doctor had found. "It's a cauldron full of melted humans!"

"Yes, and…"

And then the Doctor trailed off, his eyes wide in shock. "Oh no. Oh dear. This is very not good. Extremely very not good."

Amy frowned, trying to decipher his thoughts, but they were muddled, much like his speech.

"I've made a very big mistake." The Doctor finally whispered. "One huge, whopping mistake. It's not lights they're afraid of…its heat."

"So?" Jack demanded.

"These beings, they're called the Fryicilax, and they haven't returned because of Amy and I. But now I've brought the bait right to the beast." The Doctor replied, looking down at the cauldron in horror. "Back to the ladder, now!"

Everyone followed his instruction, and they all raced to the ladder.

"Alonzo? Where's Alonzo?" Jack cried once they'd reached the hatch, only to see that he wasn't there. "Did he follow us into the loft?"

The Doctor looked down at the floor, and saw a fresh pile of skin. Jack followed his gaze, and his face went white. "Doctor…tell me that's not my boyfriend…"

"It's okay." The Doctor assured him, patting his shoulder. "They've only taken him. They like to tease their victims before melting them down and creating a new Fryicilax."

"How is that any better?" Jack hissed. "We need to find him!"

"First we need to get out of this loft. Amy, go!" The Doctor commanded, and Amy quickly began to descend down the ladder. "You next Hannah."

Once the girls had disappeared down the ladder, the Doctor looked through the hatch, when he realised he'd made another colossal mistake.

"No!" He yelled, realising that the lights were off below. "Amy, use your sonic! Turn the lights on! Now!"

_Okay, okay, don't panic! _He heard his wife reply in his mind. _Just let me—_

Suddenly she broke off, and she started to scream. The Doctor's hands flew to his head as her fear overwhelmed his mind, and he staggered backwards.

"Doctor, we need to help them!" Rory cried, hearing Hannah screaming too. Before he could step foot on the ladder, Jack had yanked him back up.

"Let the Doctor put the power on first! We can't help them if we end up captured too!" He hissed. "Doctor…Doctor? Are you listening?"

But the Doctor had secluded to his mind, and he desperately tried to communicate with Amy over her internal screams. _Amy…Amy! Listen to me! Amelia! Where are you? Amy? Amy!_

_Doctor…dark…can't see… _

The Doctor shook his head, as if to clear it, and went straight into business-mode. He surged towards the ladder and climbed down it easily. The moment his feet were on the ground, he withdrew his sonic screwdriver and restored the lights, to see six Fryicilax in the corridor, poised as if to strike at him. They were frozen though, and the Doctor grinned.

"Yep, I definitely just added my own version of a 'watt' to the light bulbs to make them emit more heat. Looks like you'll be standing there a long time. Drip, drip, drip! Now, what have you done with my wife?"

Skirting around them, he ran through the corridor, yelling Amy's name, aloud and psychically.

_Amy, Amy? Is it still dark? _

_Do…Doctor? Thank God! Yes, it's dark. And cramped. Where am I?_

_I don't know, but I'll find you. Are you with Hannah and Alonzo?_

_Yeah. The waxy things have left us alone now, but I dropped my sonic when they grabbed me and now we can't see anything!_

_Don't panic. I'm coming for you._

The Doctor spotted Amy's sonic in front of him, and he scooped it up, just as Jack and Rory caught up with him. "Did you talk to Amy? Is she with Alonzo and Hannah? Are they okay?" Jack demanded.

"Yes, yes, and I don't know." The Doctor replied. "It seems like they're in a small space, and its cramped and dark. Any ideas?"

"I have one."

Before the Doctor could stop him, Jack had snatched Amy's sonic away from him and pointed it at the wall, exploding the brick.

"What was that for?" The Doctor yelled, seizing it back.

"For that." Jack nodded at the corridor wall, and the Doctor followed his gaze, to see a narrow passageway. "It occurred to me just now that a mansion like this has to have secret rooms, and voila! Do you think the Fryicilax took them into the passageway?"

"More than likely." The Doctor kicked away some of the rubble, and stepped into the passage. "It fits the criteria. It's dark, cramped, and a perfect hideout for the Fryicilax. They must have retreated into here when we arrived and turned on the lights."

"And they couldn't come out because you and Amy were getting hot and heavy, literally." Jack realised. "Then we went up to the loft, they turned the lights off, and took Alonzo, and then the girls."

The Doctor nodded, but then frowned. "Yes, but I don't understand why Amy and I—"

"Do we have to talk about this now?" Rory demanded, interrupting him. "My wife has been captured!"

"So has mine!" The Doctor reminded him, beginning to walk forward. "We'll find them Rory, I promise."

Using Amy's sonic; he exploded a hole in the passageway wall, allowing some light from the hallway outside to filter through. "The only way we can keep the others safe is if we blast through as much of this wall as we can so that more light can enter through." He told them, aiming the sonic at another part of the wall. "It'll get hot in here soon, but it's the only way to keep everyone safe."

"Good. Here, give me Amy's sonic, and I'll go in the opposite direction to you. We'll get through more of the passageway like that." Jack said, and the Doctor tossed him the sonic.

"Be careful!" He warned, and he heard Jack sigh.

"I'll try!"

"What I meant to say was, 'don't do anything stupid'."

The Doctor saw the gleam of Jack's grin in the dim light. "I know, and I said that I'd try. But if any of the Fryicilax even think about attacking me, I'll shoot them down."

"No weapons Jack." The Doctor said tiredly. "That's not how I work, remember?"

"But that's how I work." Whirling around, Jack headed away in the opposite direction.

"For goodness sake!" The Doctor muttered, shaking his head in anger. "Rory, go after him and talk some sense to that boy!"

"I'd rather stay with you." Rory replied nervously, looking behind him, in case a Fryicilax decided to attack him.

"Well then, looks like it's just you and me Williams." The Doctor commented, exploding another hole in the wall with his sonic screwdriver. "Allons-y! Wow, I haven't said that in a while. Yowza."

"Yowza?" Rory echoed.

"I've never said that before. That's fab." _What do you think Pond? 'Yowza'. That could be my catchphrase._

_No. Just no._

"Fine then. 'Geronimo' it is." The Doctor muttered, blasting open another hole. "Geronimo!"

"Still talking to Amy?" Rory asked him as they carried on through the passage.

"Yes, and before you ask, they're all fine. They're staying put until they can see the light we're filtering through." The Doctor told him.

The two walked in companionable silence for a few minutes, save for the noise of the Doctor blowing holes into the walls, before he halted to a stop. "Hey Rory, can you feel that?"

"The heat? Yep." Rory sighed, fanning his face. "It's baking in here."

"Not that." The Doctor licked his finger and held it up in the air. "There's something…not…quite…right."

He turned around to look at Rory, and then yelped when he saw his friend's skin dripping to the floor, leaving the skeleton of the body. He blinked, and the mirage was gone.

"What?" Rory demanded, looking around them anxiously. "What's wrong?"

"Perception filter." The Doctor realised. "They're playing with us alright…they're playing with our minds."

"So?"

"So? A very big so. Now hush. Concentrating." The Doctor closed his eyes, and reached out to his wife again. _Amy, listen to me. Whatever you see in the next few minutes isn't real!_

_What do you mean?_ She demanded, and the Doctor could sense her fear. _Because there is one of those things running right towards us!_

_It's not a Fryicilax, it's Jack! Let him know it's you, before—_

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Amy suddenly disappeared from his mind, and the Doctor's eyes flew open. "No!" He cried, whirling around and racing towards the sounds of the gun being fired. "Jack! No! Stop it!"

"Doctor, what's happening?" Rory yelled, sprinting after him. "What has Jack done? Doctor, answer me!"

"Jack, they're not the Fryicilax! They're our friends!" The Doctor roared, praying that Jack could hear him. "Don't shoot!"

Rory realised the situation. "No Jack! Don't!" He cried, his yells joining the Doctor's. "Jack! Stop!"

Raising his sonic to the ceiling, the Doctor disabled the perception filter, filling the passage with his friend's screams. He heard Jack's gun clatter to the floor, and knew they were close.

When they rounded the corner, they saw Jack frozen in the light part of the passageway, his face ashen with horror. "Doctor…I didn't…my military reflexes just…oh God…I think I shot one of them…" Trailing off, he stared ahead of him, into the darkness.

Somewhere in his mind, the Doctor already knew who'd been shot, but he couldn't believe it. Not just yet. "Amy!" He cried, surging blindly through the darkness, exploding holes in the wall as he ran. "Amy!"

As the light shone through the wall, the Doctor saw Alonzo slumped against it. He wasn't hurt, just stunned, so the Doctor ignored him and carried on.

"Alonzo!" He heard Jack cry in relief.

He blasted away another hole, and saw Hannah's body, lying in a pool of blood. "Rory!" He cried in alarm. "Rory, it's Hannah!"

Rory reached him quickly, and pressed his hands to his wife's cheeks. "Hannah, oh God…Hannah!"

"She's been shot above the heart." The Doctor murmured, examining her wound. "Take this, and get her into the TARDIS." He gave Rory his TARDIS key, and Rory took it. "There's a medical bay inside my ship. Hurry!"

"But what do I—"

"Rory, you're a nurse!" The Doctor snapped, his fear for Amy making him impatient. "You can heal her easily using my supplies. Now go!"

Nodding, Rory scooped Hannah's body into his arms. He struggled towards the hole in the wall, until Jack and Alonzo appeared.

"I'll carry her." Alonzo murmured, and Rory placed his broken wife into his arms, before they hurried out of the passage.

"Amy!" The Doctor cried, running ahead again. He tried to focus on finding the sound of her heartbeat, but couldn't because of his own. He was on his way to having a Galifreyan panic attack, like he nearly had the last time Amy had been hurt.

Suddenly he saw a glint of red hair, and he flew forward, falling to his knees beside his wife. He immediately felt for her pulse, and once he'd found it, he exploded another hole in the wall and rolled her over so that her back was to the floor. To his horror, her shirt was coated in blood, caused by a bullet wound to her shoulder.

"Doctor, I'm so sorry. I didn't—"

"Shut up Jack!" The Doctor hissed angrily, unbuttoning her shirt to examine the wound. "Let's see…bullet went right through her skin, so I won't have to remove it. "

"Doctor?"

"The bullet has torn some of her ligaments though." The Doctor continued, ignoring Jack. "Oh Amy…" Trailing off, he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Doctor, we need to get out of here!" Jack cried, looking around them worriedly. "This place is going to explode!"

"What?" The Doctor demanded, opening his eyes and sitting up. "Why? What happened?"

"You and Amy happened!" Jack exclaimed, looking at the Doctor incredulously. "The time energy you created is explosive! Once the atoms of that reach boiling point because of the heat from the lights, then—"

"—Say no more. Go!"

The Doctor placed his arms under Amy's body, preparing to carry her, but Jack placed his hand on his arm. "I'll carry her." He told him, and the Doctor glared at him.

"She's _my_ wife. Leave us!"

Jack hesitated, but quickly left the passage when he saw how angry the Doctor was with him.

"Come along Pond." The Doctor murmured, repeating his words from earlier as he picked her up.

He managed to manoeuvre out of the hole in the wall, and began to step over the debris that they'd created from blasting the wall away. As he stumbled through the corridor, he passed the master suite, which was on fire.

He didn't have time to examine it and analyse what had happened between him and Amy in that room. His wife's health was his first priority, so he carried on towards the staircase.

Embers of fire were starting on some of the steps, so he carefully stepped around them as he descended. Pieces of ceiling began to tumble to the floor, and the Doctor quickened his pace as he reached the main entrance of the mansion.

He saw instantly that Jack had blown away the doors with Amy's sonic, and he was grateful, as it made his escape easier. The gap in the wall outside was also larger, and the Doctor ran towards it, to see Jack standing by the TARDIS.

He opened the doors for him, and the Doctor rushed into his ship and straight towards the medical bay, Jack running behind him.

He kicked open the door and rushed in, and Rory looked up at the commotion. "I did it Doctor! Hannah's fine!" He told him, beaming. "Will she be unconscious for much longer?"

"Only for a few more minutes." The Doctor said distractedly, lying Amy down on the hospital bed beside Hannah's. "Take Hannah into the room next door, and you'll find some Xicic cream, which will get rid of the bullet scar."

"Okay, thanks." Rory lifted Hannah into his arms and headed through the adjoining door, and Alonzo and Jack joined the Doctor beside Amy's bed.

"I'll need some Estheric to fix her wound." The Doctor murmured, rummaging through the medical drawers beside the bed. "And then some of that Xicic cream for the scar."

"Doctor, you won't need any of that stuff." He heard Jack whisper, and he shook his head.

"What? Of course I will!" He replied, taking out the jar of Estheric from the drawers.

"No, you won't."

Whirling around, the Doctor turned back to his wife, when he froze, stunned. The wound on Amy's shoulder was emitting small, golden sparks, and the skin was closing, healing by itself.

"I don't understand." The Doctor whispered, touching the skin around the wound, but withdrawing his hand sharply, burnt by the scorching temperature.

"I think you do." Jack said quietly. "Doctor, how can you not see what's going on?"

The Doctor glanced up from Amy to stare at him in bewilderment.

"You're so dense!" Jack sighed. "Look Doctor, think about it. The moment Alonzo and I arrived here, we knew that Amy wasn't herself."

"Of course she wasn't herself, her mind and body was adapting to a Time Lord connection!" The Doctor exclaimed, interrupting him.

But Jack carried on, ignoring him. "You know the legends Doctor, better than I do, about two Time Lords bonding. The heat, the time energy released, the surge in the psychic bond…"

Already the Doctor was shaking his head. "Impossible Jack! Amy isn't a Time Lord!"

"But she's pregnant with one."

The jar that the Doctor was holding fell to the floor, spraying them all with droplets of liquid.

"There's time energy in her blood Doctor, and what happened between you two in the mansion confirmed it." Jack told him firmly. "Her body's changing, adjusting to carry a Time Lord. That's why her wound is healing, and that's why you two have a full psychic link! She's pregnant with your child!"

The Doctor couldn't move, or even react. His mind was whirring with Jack's words. If Amy was pregnant, it answered all of the unexplained questions.

But he couldn't allow himself to get his hopes up. Not over something as important as this.

Alonzo nudged Jack, and the two walked away into the adjoining room, leaving the Doctor alone with Amy.

With trembling hands, the Doctor pulled her shirt up, exposing her stomach. He had noticed that her curves had become more defined, but he'd never even considered the possibility that she was pregnant.

Gently, he rested his head against her stomach, listening for any sound, or any indication that there was a life growing inside his wife.

And then he felt it. The sound was so quiet that even with his Time Lord hearing, he could barely hear it. But there it was.

A small thrum of two fragile hearts beating.

* * *

**I'll try and get working on the next chapter ASAP. My muse is failing to inspire me...I think it's because this story is getting nearer to the end - and I have to write some rather horrible chapters before it finally ends. Sigh.**

**Hayley x**


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N: I WILL finish this story, I promise. I just have no muse/motivation at the moment, and it's killing me. I'm so sorry for neglecting this fic for two weeks - no words came to me when writing this chapter and the finale plan.**

**But thankfully, they're both written now. So maybe I won't get stuck again. **

* * *

Nothing in the Universe could compare to the Doctor's elation as he heard his baby's hearts beating. This was the greatest moment in his nine hundred years of life, embracing the fact that there was going to be another Time Lord in existence. And it was his Time Lord, his _child_. His and Amy's magnificent creation.

Ghosting his fingertips lightly over his wife's stomach, he smiled to himself. "Daddy Doctor…suppose it has a ring to it." He mused aloud.

The TARDIS engines hummed in amusement, and the Doctor chuckled. "Fine then. I'll just be known as 'Daddy'. Don't know what you've got against the 'Doctor' part mind you, but oh well."

An image of the TARDIS scanner appeared in his mind then, and he frowned. "Why do you want me to use that for?" He asked his ship.

_Amy will want proof that she's pregnant. You telling her that you can hear the baby's heartbeat won't be enough. _

"Do I have to?"

The TARDIS gave him a psychic nudge, and he sighed in reluctance. "Fine Miss Bossy Boots, I'm going." After casting one more look at his wife, he left the medical bay and descended down the stairs into the console room.

He switched on the scanner, and the TARDIS automatically began to analyse Amy's body. Moments later, an image of Amy appeared on the screen, and it zoomed in to focus on her abdomen, displaying the word: 'Pregnant' over it.

"Can't get much clearer than that." The Doctor said proudly, standing back to admire the image displayed.

_I'm surprised you haven't cried yet._

"What? Me? Cry? Never." The Doctor commented, still gazing at the scanner. "I never cry."

Memories of him crying in his eleventh form began to filter through his mind, and he scowled. "Thanks Dear." He muttered. "Okay fine, you have a point. But I wouldn't cry over something like this. I'm a man. Got to be cool for the wife when she finds out. You know how it is."

The TARDIS snorted. _If you say so._

"I swear that you and Amy are related." The Doctor sighed, rolling his eyes. "You both love to ruffle my feathers, even though I don't actually possess any. It'd be cool if I did, but they're still not as cool as bowties."

The TARDIS sighed when an image appeared in the Doctor's mind of redheaded children wearing bowties. He'd thought about that image before, but his ship hadn't seen it yet. _Oh no._

"Oh yes!"

"Doctor?"

At the sound of his wife's voice, he spun around to see her standing at the top of the console room stairs. Her eyes were wide with panic, but before the Doctor could do anything, she was speaking. "Doctor, I can't feel you in my mind anymore!" She told him anxiously. "Is that normal? Or did something happen? Why can't—"

"—Amy, breathe." The Doctor soothingly, beginning to walk up the stairs to join her. "Your body shut down the psychic link temporarily when your body began to heal after you were shot. Everything's fine. Actually, it's better than fine. Wonderful. Brilliant. Magnificent."

Amy looked at him in confusion as he took her hands and began to guide her down the stairs. "What's up with the stupid grin on your face?" She asked him, puzzled. "Did something happen when I was unconscious?"

"You could say that." The Doctor said furtively, and Amy's eyes narrowed.

"Enough with the cryptic thing. What happened?"

They reached the bottom of the staircase, and the Doctor took her over to the console room chair. "You might want to sit down first." He told her, but Amy refused to move.

"I'll stand thanks." She replied firmly, folding her arms. "So, let's have it."

"Amy…you and I…well…blimey, I don't even know how to say it. Never been in this situation before." The Doctor stopped talking to laugh, but at Amy's impatient frown, he straightened his face. "Well Pond, it seems that you're…pregnant."

Amy's face paled. "Excuse me?" She whispered, her arms falling limply to her sides.

"You're pregnant!" The Doctor exclaimed, pulling the scanner around so that she could see the image of her pregnancy. "You're having a baby!"

Amy stepped forward hesitantly, and frowned at the scanner. "Shut up." She breathed, raising her hand and touching the screen of the scanner.

"Not likely. And before you ask, I won't stop grinning either. You're lucky I'm not dancing right now." The Doctor remarked, beaming.

Amy's eyes left the scanner, and she looked at her husband. "Are you sure?" She asked him quietly, still unable to believe the truth.

The Doctor could see how shocked she was, and he stepped forward to press his hand against her cheek. "I'm never wrong, and neither is my TARDIS. Amy, I heard our baby's heartbeats." He revealed gently, and Amy's eyes widened.

"Heartbeats…as in…plural?" At the Doctor's nod, Amy's face went even whiter. "I need a pregnancy test."

The Doctor stepped away from her to use the scanner. "The TARDIS can confirm it again, if you—"

"—No, I need a normal pregnancy test." Amy told him, backing away to sink down onto the console room chair. "The time energy in here could be affecting the scan."

"But—"

"Please." Amy looked at her husband pleadingly, and the Doctor relented. If confirming it 'the human way' got her to believe him, then he'd do whatever it took.

"Fine. Next stop, Leadworth chemist." He entered the destination code, and then went to join his wife. He knelt in front of her, and took her hands in his. Amy looked down at him, and he could see her apprehension. He knew how much being pregnant would mean to her, and he knew her too well to know that she wouldn't allow herself to celebrate until her pregnancy was absolutely certain.

The Doctor laced his fingers through hers, and squeezed them comfortingly. "You know Pond, this isn't necessary." He told her gently, referring to their journey to Leadworth Chemist.

"What isn't?" They both heard Jack ask, and they looked up to see their friends walking down the console room stairs, all wearing the same, curious expressions.

"Taking you home so soon." Amy replied smoothly, and the Doctor quickly nodded, going along with her lie. "I thought that would be for the best after what we've all been through."

Rory and Hannah seemed to believe her lie, but Jack and Alonzo eyed her suspiciously.

Before they could question her, they all felt the TARDIS land. "Oh, would you look at that?" Amy exclaimed, rising to her feet and rushing towards the doors. "We're back in 2011 Leadworth. See you guys soon!"

And then she bolted from the TARDIS.

The Doctor ran over to the doors, but stopped to look back at his friends. "Um…what she said. Bye!" Then he too ran out of the TARDIS, and the doors slammed shut behind him.

Their friends watched them go in bewilderment. "Those two have issues." Rory remarked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Don't we all know it." Jack replied, grinning. "Come on, let's go back to your house, and we'll tell you what really happened in the mansion."

Confused, Hannah and Rory allowed Jack and Alonzo to pull them out of the TARDIS, leaving their second home behind…until their next adventure with their mad best friends.

~I~

Despite being pregnant, Amy had managed to outrun her husband, and he was panting when he finally caught up with her inside the chemist.

He had barely caught his breath back before Amy had picked up a basket and charged down the aisles, searching for the pregnancy test section.

"Amy, this isn't necessary, trust me!" He called as he chased her through the chemist.

Amy halted suddenly, nearly causing the Doctor to crash into her, but he skidded to a stop just before they collided. "I trust you. I trust you with everything." She told him fervently. "But I need to see this myself, you know, in the _human_ way."

"The extra-terrestrial way is much better." He replied, and Amy shook her head as she turned away from him, continuing down the aisle they were in.

"Look, your pregnancy explains everything!" The Doctor continued, following her again. "Your mood swings, our psychic bond, the time energy we created in the mansion, and your injury healing over so quickly. Your body is changing to hold a Time Lord!"

"Hush." Amy told him, using her husband's favourite 'shut up' word.

"Amy, I…" But he trailed off when she stopped beside a shelf of white boxes.

"Found them!" She announced, and then she reached out and knocked all of them into her basket.

"How many do you need?" The Doctor asked her, mystified by the items.

"I don't know. All of them I guess. Should be enough." She replied, taking one of the boxes out of her basket and examining the instructions printed on the back. "Apparently they're 99% accurate, but I'm going to need to take at least ten to be certain."

"How do these work anyway?" The Doctor questioned, swiping the box out of her hand.

Amy snatched it back. "You pee on them." She told him bluntly, and the Doctor wrinkled his nose.

"You urinate on a stick? That's just weird."

"Says the guy with the urine laboratory." Amy said dryly, dropping the box back into her basket.

"Hey, ammonia helps with scientific discoveries!" The Doctor reminded her, wagging his finger for emphasis.

His wife rolled her eyes, and turned to march up to the till, which was at the end of the aisle. After eyeing the other womanly objects around him nervously, the Doctor hurried after her.

As they approached the till, the elderly woman using it finished serving a customer, and her eyes lit up in recognition when she saw Amy. "Amelia Pond! How long has it been?"

Amy grimaced, and the Doctor snorted in amusement, though he quickly disguised it as a cough. "A while." His wife replied, plastering on a false smile. "Hi Edith."

"I haven't seen you since…what on Earth is that down your top?" Edith questioned, horrified by the huge bloodstain on Amy's tartan shirt.

Amy caught the Doctor's eye, and he mouthed, "Oops", especially when he realised he still had Amy's blood smeared over his hands.

"Paint." Amy said quickly. "The Doctor and I were painting a canvas of the um…Australian red rock, weren't we?"

"Uh, yep. Absolutely." The Doctor replied hurriedly. "Quite a masterpiece. We're almost as good as Vincent Van Gogh."

"I hope not, I hate his work." Edith commented, and Amy's smile became strained. "Hang on, what's this I see…wedding rings! Did you two get married?"

"Yep. About six weeks ago." The Doctor told her, and Edith beamed.

"Congratulations! Where was the wedding?" She asked them eagerly. "You must tell me everything!"

Amy's smile vanished, and she raised her shopping basket to slam it down on the counter, making both Edith and the Doctor jump. "Look, we're in a hurry, so could you just let us buy these?" She demanded impatiently. She lifted the basket again to turn it upside down, and the pregnancy test boxes toppled out onto the counter.

Edith's eyes widened. "Dear, are you—"

"I won't know until I take these." Amy interrupted her, glaring at her now.

_Definitely pregnant. _The Doctor thought to himself, grinning again.

"Are you sure you need that many Amelia?" Edith asked her, realising that Amy was buying every single pregnancy test in stock.

"Of course. I might be carrying his baby, after all." Amy muttered, jerking her thumb at the Doctor. "Who knows how many weird results I'll get?"

The Doctor's smile faded, and he frowned slightly. "Is that an insult Pond?"

Amy raised her eyebrows. "What do you think?" She asked him, before noticing that Edith was watching them strangely. "Stop staring and start scanning!" She snapped at her, and Edith's face flamed.

"Ye-yes…o-of course." The elderly woman stammered, picking up the first pregnancy test. "Sorry Amelia."

"It's Amy."

The Doctor averted his gaze then, feeling uncomfortable, especially when he saw that everyone in the chemist was staring at them. "Amy, everyone's looking at us." He whispered to her.

"What do you expect? You're wearing a tweed jacket and a bow tie, and I'm covered in blood." The Doctor opened his mouth to speak, but Amy interrupted him." And don't say they're cool, because they're really not."

"I thought you said that was paint!" They heard Edith gasp, and Amy turned her head to scowl at her.

"I lied. Are you done?"

At Edith's nod, Amy snatched the carrier bag that held the pregnancy tests. "Took you long enough. Let's go Doctor."

Without paying, Amy stormed down the aisle, and out of the chemist.

The Doctor couldn't help but feel sorry for the old woman. "Sorry about her. Here's a tip, when talking to pregnant redheads, don't get on the wrong side of them."

Edith just stared back at him.

"Um…" The Doctor rummaged in the pocket of his tweed jacket, and eventually withdrew his wallet. "Here's some money for the pregnancy tests." He paused to toss a bunch of fifty pound notes at her. "They're red, like Amy's hair."

Edith still didn't react.

The Doctor coughed uncomfortably, and began to back away from the counter. "Gotta run Edith, planets to save, pregnant wives to calm down, that old malarkey…it was nice to meet you."

And then he ran out of the chemist.

~I~

When the Doctor returned to the TARDIS, he was relieved when he saw that his friends had left. As much as he loved them, he needed to be alone with his wife while they tried to adjust to the sudden change in their life. Just as soon as she believed that she was pregnant, of course.

The TARDIS led him straight to Amy, and he wasn't surprised when he saw that she'd locked herself in their en-suite bathroom. He understood that she needed to be alone, but he knocked softly on the door, just to show that he was still there for her. "You okay Pond?" He called to her.

"I'm fine. Go. Find something to do, and I'll find you later."

He'd expected Amy's abruptness, and he told her that he loved her before leaving her to it.

Finding something to do though was harder that he thought it would be. He'd already completed his weekly to-do-list, from when Amy had told him to do something when their friends were on the TARDIS with them. But then he realised that he hadn't colour coded the clothes in the wardrobe yet, which was on his once-every-century-list.

Sorting through all of the clothes in the wardrobe always took a long time, hours in fact. He still had his past regeneration's clothes, and his old companions. They were all shoved at the back of the wardrobe now, abandoned.

The Doctor didn't want to dredge up old memories, so for the first time, he ignored the old garments and focused on his eleventh form's clothing, and his wife's.

Once he'd colour-coded all of their outfits, and ensured that Amy's Kissogram outfits were still in the wardrobe, he noticed that that the TARDIS had added a new section in the wardrobe. On one of the shelves, there was a message engraved in Galifreyan that read, 'Property of the Time Lord Ponds'.

Touched, the Doctor found himself having to blink back tears. "Thanks Dear." He murmured, reaching out and patting the wall of the wardrobe.

The TARDIS hummed then, warning him that Amy was approaching. The Doctor turned to face the doorway, and his wife appeared, wringing her hands together.

"Hi." She said awkwardly.

"Hi." The Doctor echoed, watching her carefully. He had no idea what she was thinking, and he cursed himself silently for not enabling their psychic link after she was shot.

Amy took a step towards him, but the Doctor didn't move forward to meet her. "You were wrong earlier." She told him hoarsely, taking another step towards him. "About me being pregnant."

The Doctor's whole body froze. "What?" He whispered, stunned.

Amy was silent as she approached him, but once she was standing in front of him, she finally spoke. "You were wrong…because…" Trailing off, she reached out to him with trembling hands, and the Doctor raised his right arm so that she could clasp his hand in hers. "_We're_ pregnant."

She guided his hand to rest on her stomach, and she placed her hands over his. Slowly, she raised her head to meet his gaze, and saw his timeless eyes ablaze with joy. Her words had made him feel like he was finding out about the pregnancy all over again, and finally, his eyes gleamed with unshed tears, much to the enjoyment of the TARDIS.

Amy's own tears began to fall, and she laughed giddily when the Doctor swept her into his arms, crushing her against him. "I love you Amelia Pond." He murmured, cradling the back of her head and pressing his lips firmly to hers.

She responded feverishly, and her arms slid around the Doctor's neck, holding him to her.

But the Doctor soon pulled away. Before she could protest, he sank onto his knees, and began to unbutton her shirt, starting from the bottom. Once her stomach was exposed, he began to feather light kisses across her skin, and Amy laughed again.

"Hey little one." He murmured against the skin of her abdomen. "Guess what?"

Turning his head, he pressed his ear against the soft curve of their growing baby. "Gotcha." He whispered, and he felt Amy's fingers run through his hair.

Leaning away, he tilted his head up to beam at her, and more tears fell from his eyes when he saw his wife's radiant smile.

"I love you." She told him sincerely, sinking down onto the floor to join him. "I love you so, so much."

Her husband opened his arms for her, and she launched forward into his embrace; their mouths fusing together before they'd even reached the floor.

~I~

Outside of the TARDIS, there was a piercing sound, a flash of white light, and then a crack in time formed in the brickwork of the chemist.

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**Du-du-dunnnn!**

**Next chapter will see more Amy/Doctor fluff, but the chapters after that will solely be about the big finale plot :D Woo! **

**xx**


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N: Bad news guys. This story won't be getting regular updates that much. I started University last week, and I thought beforehand, "Oh it'll be fine. I'll only go in for three days and then I have four days to work, write and be with my friends." **

**I had no idea how intense my course was going to be. You would not believe how much time I'm spending at Uni at the moment, and I've barely started! The assigments are demanding and time-consuming, so I don't even have time for MYSELF at the moment.**

**It's a bumpy road ahead, for me _and_ for this story. But nonetheless, this story will be finished in eleven chapters time. That doesn't sound like much, but for what I have to write, it's going to take a hell of a long time. I thank you for your kind PM's and reviews, which honestly are so inspiring and motivating. But when I have the threat of failing University even if I miss ONE deadline, writing this story has to take a backseat, and I'm sorry.**

**I was going to write some other stuff here, but I don't have time. I have a four hour lecture this evening and I have to prepare my notes for before then. **

**Oh, before I forget, I'm sorry it's taking so long to reply to reviews and PM's. I have over twenty messages in my inbox, and I still haven't found the time to sit down and reply to them.**

**Anyhow. Enough about me. Enjoy the fluffy chapter! It'll be the last fluff you'll see in this story...at least for a while. **

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The Doctor awoke the next morning to the sound of bedsprings, his wife's breathless, excited laughter, and the motion of his body being moved up and down rhythmically.

Keeping his eyes closed, he turned his face into his pillow, and mumbled, "Amy, is the TARDIS malfunctioning in the vortex, or are you jumping on our bed?"

"What do you think?" was Amy's reply, and the Doctor sighed.

"Hopefully not the latter option. I'd rather not be crushed, thank you very much."

"Wrong! Get up lazy bones!"

The Doctor frowned with his eyes still shut. "How can my skeletal features be lazy?"

"It's an expression monkey boy." He heard Amy remark, and he didn't have to look at her to know that she was rolling her eyes. "Now get up!"

The Doctor blindly reached out and located Amy's pillow, which he then used to cover his head. "Nope. I only went to bed approximately an hour ago."

"Well you shouldn't have been playing with your trixic circuit all night long!" Amy told him firmly. "I _told_ you that it didn't need rewiring, but you were too stubborn. Can't separate boys from their toys."

After she'd finished speaking, she stopped jumping, and the Doctor was relieved. However, that feeling didn't last long, because he suddenly felt Amy's pillow being snatched away from him.

The Doctor finally opened his eyes and attempted to grasp it back, but Amy threw it over to the other side of the room. His eyes narrowed, and he sat up to scowl at her. "You didn't."

"I did." And then Amy grabbed his pillow and tossed it away as well. "Now come and bounce on the bed with me."

The Doctor settled back down to sleep, sans pillow, and he closed his eyes again. "No can do. Time Lords are not interested in jumping on a mattress."

Amy nudged him with her foot. "Liar. You've bounced on the bed with me before, when I made you that fish finger and custard soup."

"That's a fair point, but don't expect a repeat performance of me attempting to do handstands on our bed." The Doctor mumbled.

He felt her step down from the bed, and he thought she'd finally given up.

"Well, I think you should be more excited about our baby scan than soup, so start bouncing, now!" Amy commanded as he heard her back away from the bed.

"Maybe I'm so excited that my body feels compelled to keep my eyes shut, and succumb me to unconsciousness." The Doctor told her sleepily, though regretted it when he heard Amy snort, and she leaped back on the bed.

"If you're not bouncing on this bed in ten seconds, you'll regret it." She said warningly, and the Doctor chuckled.

"Empty threat." He muttered, snuggling back under their duvet.

~I~

Ten seconds later, Amy began to bludgeon him with a pillow, that she'd collected when she'd left the bed briefly.

"No—Amelia Pond—stop that this instance—ow! That's my—fine, you win!"

"Good." Amy said smugly, as the Doctor finally sat up. "Knew you'd give up eventually."

"You're vicious when armed with a pillow. I couldn't take any more hits." The Doctor admitted, rising to stand with her.

Laughing, Amy grabbed his hands, and they began to bounce up and down excitedly. Ever since Amy had fully believed that she was pregnant, she'd been ecstatic, and her happiness had made her rather energetic, even more so than the Doctor. Now she would whiz around the console with him, overtaking him easily as she helped him fly the TARDIS, and she'd managed to outrun him when they explored new planets on a couple of occasions. He didn't mind too much; she'd been pretty insatiable as well. Who was he to complain about that?

The Doctor's train of thought was broken by the sound of wood splintering, and his eyes widened. "Amy, I know I'm mad enough so that I hear things, but I swear our bed is about to—"

Suddenly the wooden bars that supported the mattress shattered, and Amy and the Doctor were jolted to the floor. He reacted quicker than her, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, manoeuvring her body so that she was on top of him, allowing him to take the brunt of the fall.

Once they were on the floor, Amy twisted her body around so that she could look down at her husband in amusement. "You don't have to cushion me you know, I'm pretty much indestructible now." She reminded him, whacking him playfully.

"Force of habit, and besides, I'm not just looking out for you anymore." Smiling, the Doctor slipped his hand in the small expanse between their bodies to touch the small curve of her abdomen. He couldn't feel their child as much as he would have liked, so he slid his hand under her pyjama shirt to run his fingers lightly across the stretch of her skin.

Amy shivered at his touch, and the Doctor removed his hand, grinning, knowing how sensitive she was at the moment, and enjoying every minute of it.

"I have to say, I don't mind too much that we broke our bed." Amy commented, folding her arms on his chest and smiling down at him.

"I do, that bed was an antique from my smelly godmother. Irreplaceable." The Doctor said glumly, slipping his arms around her waist and pressing her body closer to his. "Although I won't miss the amount of time it took to remove her stench from the wood."

Amy chuckled softly, and unfolded her arms to slide her fingers into the Doctor's dishevelled, brown locks. "I'm sorry, I promise we'll get another one later. But I'm not sorry about our position."

She began to trail feather-light kisses along his jaw, and then she tilted his head so that their lips could touch. The Doctor moved his hands to rest on her cheeks, and he used the opportunity to open up their bond when his fingertips touched her temples.

After their link had temporarily closed after their incident at the mansion in Leadworth, the Doctor had opened it again, but he'd formed a filter that worked like a psychic barrier. They'd discussed this at length before he had set one, and they both agreed that they didn't want their minds to be completely open to each other. Neither was comfortable with the idea of having the same mind. So now, they could open and close the link whenever they felt like it, allowing them to communicate physically, but allowing them to shut the other off too.

He felt Amy smile against his lips, and their kiss deepened as their fervour intensified, fuelled by each other's desire.

And then the Doctor remembered the reason for why they were on the floor in the first place. _Don't we have an ultrasound scan to get ready for? Have to go and choose a bowtie._

Amy pulled back to smirk at him_. We're in a time machine. We can stay down here for five minutes._ Her hands left his hair, and she slid her hands underneath his TARDIS print pyjama top to trace the planes of his chest. _Or thirty…or forty…or the whole day. I'm not fussy._

The Doctor couldn't stop himself from mirroring her smirk. _Oh really? And who says I am content to lie on this floor for the whole day?_

Amy's eyebrows rose, and she sat up slightly to start unbuttoning her own TARDIS pyjama top as her way of reply.

"I say I'm content." The Doctor remarked aloud, his eyes darkening as he flipped them over swiftly. Amy giggled as he pressed her body into the floor, always mindful that he didn't rest his full weight on her, and she fisted her hands in his hair to bring his face closer to hers, fusing their mouths together.

~I~

When Amy and the Doctor finally managed to drag themselves away from each other, the Doctor flew the TARDIS to the Reptala Hospital, in the Redic Galaxy. Having a baby scan at an Earth Hospital was simply out of the question, as trying to explain why their unborn baby had two heartbeats would be rather difficult, after all.

Amy had suggested that Rory and Hannah could conduct the scan, or that the Doctor could do it himself, as the TARDIS had the right equipment, but her husband insisted on going to the Reptala Hospital. It was only later that he told her that the Reptala Hospital was where his mother had given birth to him. Realising that going there was important to the Doctor, Amy of course agreed.

Once the Doctor had parked in one of the available parking spaces and grumbled about the cost of parking, they headed into the hospital. Amy didn't mention it to the Doctor, but she was surprised by how 'normal' the hospital looked. It looked like the hospital from Leadworth, with the exception of the alien patients, of course.

Taking her hand, the Doctor guided Amy through many corridors, searching for the Maternity ward. After fifteen minutes of walking, Amy knew they were lost, but before she could stop one of the nurses to ask for help, the Doctor announced, "Gotcha!" and pulled her towards the glass door at the end of the corridor. "Knew it was along here somewhere."

Amy rolled her eyes as she followed her husband through the door, and then stopped short at the sight of the patients in the waiting room. Alien parents were placing their young, wailing children in metal cages, a pregnant Slitheen was ripping up magazines, and a spider-like alien child was clambering up the wall.

Amy caught the Doctor's gaze, and raised her eyebrows. _Charming_.

_Ah, aliens. Always behaving so differently. Wonderful. _The Doctor thought fondly, and Amy snorted.

_There's no way our child is going to behave like this lot. I mean, is a cage really necessary?_

The Doctor glanced at her strangely as they made their way to the desk in front. _Of course! Some aliens at that age will consume anything. Antibiotics, hammers, table legs, human toes—_

"Can I help you?"

Amy couldn't help but feel slightly relieved that the nurse at the desk had interrupted the Doctor's thoughts, not wanting to know anymore about the weird eating habits of baby aliens. And she'd thought the Doctor's fish finger and custard diet was strange!

"Hi, my wife and I are here for our ultrasound scan." The Doctor said to the nurse, grinning. "Surname is Pond."

Amy had to smother a laugh at that. The Doctor had been adamant that their children would carry her surname, although he still continued to argue that it was his last name now too. He'd even thought about giving his TARDIS the nickname, 'the Pond', but his ship hadn't been too pleased.

"Ah yes, I have your appointment details here." The nurse pulled out a small clock-like device and placed it on the desk. She fiddled with the clock hands for a minute, before smiling up at them. "I've just sent a message to your doctor, she'll call for you shortly."

"Brilliant. Thank you very much!" The Doctor said cheerfully, leading Amy away from the desk and towards two chairs in the corner of the waiting room, positioned a safe distance away from the human-toe eating baby aliens.

Once seated, the Doctor began flicking through one of the magazines, muttering about inaccuracy as he scanned the articles, and Amy gazed around the waiting room nervously.

Now that they were here, she was suddenly anxious, wondering about the what-ifs. What if something was wrong? What if their DNA was incompatible and their baby was malformed?

She thought briefly about sharing her concerns with the Doctor, but realised that wouldn't do anything. He'd probably be thrilled if their baby had a time head, or something like that.

So she settled for resting her head on the Doctor's shoulder, willing herself to calm down.

The Doctor of course could sense her emotions, and he felt her apprehension. Clasping her hand in his, he interlaced his fingers with hers. "Hey, what's on your mind?" He whispered, raising their entwined hands and kissing the back of her hand.

Amy knew that was a silent request for her to open her mind to him, but she chose to ignore it. "Just nerves." She replied quietly, her eyes downcast.

"Where's that bed-jumping excitement I saw earlier?" The Doctor chided her gently.

"Squashed by worry." She admitted, her tension easing when she felt the Doctor kiss the top of her head.

"I'm certain it'll come back when we see the photo of our baby for the first time."

The Doctor was right; Amy could feel excitement brewing in the pit of her stomach again. "Are we going to find out the sex today?" She asked him eagerly, sitting up to smile at him.

"Twelve weeks is the earliest time that you can tell, and I don't think that you're that far along. But hey, there's always next time."

Amy nodded, and they shared a brief kiss before she laid her head on his shoulder again.

The Doctor's attention turned back to the magazine, but he was bored of it now, so he tossed it to the Slitheen so she could rip it up.

Fortunately, their names were called then. "Ponds! Doctor Kelly is ready for you!" The nurse at the front desk called, and the Doctor grinned.

"Come along Pond!" He exclaimed, rising to his feet and offering Amy his hand to help her up.

Together, they made their way out of the waiting room through the glass door, where Doctor Kelly was waiting for them. She didn't look much different from a human, save for the intricate swirl around her right eye.

"Mr and Mrs Pond, it's nice to meet you." Their Doctor said sincerely, offering them her hand to shake.

The Doctor clasped it in his free one. "You too. But don't call me Mr Pond. I know you're a Doctor, but I'm _the_ Doctor, so can we just call you Nurse Kelly? Don't want to cause confusion after all. Thanks."

Do-Nurse Kelly blinked in amazement, and Amy sighed. "So rude." She muttered, glaring at her husband, before turning her head to smile at their nurse. "Anyway. Hi. I'm Amy."

"I have to say, I'm honoured to meet you both." Nurse Kelly told them warmly as she shook Amy's hand. "I've heard so many stories from patients of mine about your travels together. And now you're here."

"It's not just us." Amy said, resting her hand on her abdomen, and the Doctor beamed.

"When I saw that you'd booked a ultrasound scan, I couldn't believe it. But I can hear your baby's heartbeats. Remarkable." Nurse Kelly breathed, her eyes wide in awe. "Are you positive you want me to conduct the scan? I'm not the most qualified doctor here."

"Oh hush, we want you." The Doctor said, smiling, liking her already.

Nurse Kelly smiled back. "Thank you. We'll get started right away then. Follow me." She whirled around and headed down the corridor, and Amy and the Doctor quickly followed after her.

~I~

Once they were inside the ward, Amy was told to lie down on one of the hospital beds and roll her shirt up, allowing Nurse Kelly to spread the lubricating jelly over the expanse of her abdomen. Amy was silent during the process, but inside of her mind, she was screaming profanities and swear words at the temperature of the jelly, and the Doctor struggled to keep a straight face as he listened to her.

After everything was prepared, the machinery was switched on and Nurse Kelly ran a probe over Amy's stomach. Amy and the Doctor waited with bated breath as they anticipated the picture of their unborn child, but they heard the heartbeat first.

The Doctor and the Nurse could already hear the heartbeat beforehand, but for Amy to hear it at last was an incredible experience for her. Her eyes filled with tears, and she grasped the Doctor's hand tightly, looking up at him in awe. He laughed in response, and kissed the top of her head lovingly.

And then the ultrasound screen flickered to life, and the image of their baby appeared. Both Amy and the Doctor gasped, and the tears that Amy had managed to withhold began to slide down her face. "Doctor...that's..."

"I know." He whispered back, his smile so broad that Amy was afraid that it would split his face. "That's our baby. We made that!"

Nurse Kelly grinned at the sight of the awe-struck parents. "Your baby is beautiful already. I can't tell the sex just yet, but the heartbeat is strong, and the foetus is growing healthily. It should be a very smooth pregnancy."

Her words should have calmed Amy, but they didn't, and her nerves from earlier returned. "Are you sure?" She asked, biting her lip anxiously. The Doctor looked at her questioningly, sensing her mood change, but she avoided his gaze. "I mean, I've travelled in the TARDIS for so long. All those time differences, all that time energy...surely it will have an effect on our baby?"

The Doctor looked astounded by his wife's question, and so did the nurse. "What do you mean?" She asked carefully, not wanting to upset Amy further.

Amy frowned, looking troubled. "Well...I don't know…could our baby have three heads? Or a Time Head, or something?"

The Doctor snorted loudly, amused, and Amy scowled at him. "What's a Time Head?" He asked her, struggling to stop himself from laughing.

"I don't know but what if our baby has one!" Amy snapped, and then her husband couldn't take it anymore. He burst into laughter, and Amy tore her hand out of his to smack him.

"Shut up! This isn't funny!" She hissed, but the Doctor couldn't stop laughing.

"Your baby will be perfectly healthy, Mrs Pond." Nurse Kelly spoke up quickly, wanting to reassure the upset mother-to-be. "But there has been an effect on the foetus."

The Doctor's laughter stopped abruptly, and he began to feel as anxious as his wife. "What?"

"Prolonged Exposure to the time vortex can create Time Lords. That's why your baby isn't human, and that's why your body is adopting Time Lord mannerisms." Nurse Kelly explained. "You'll have eternal life, like your husband and child, but unlike them, you won't be able to regenerate."

Both Amy's and the Doctor's eyes widened at the news, and they exchanged bewildered glances. "So Amy could still die as easily as a human?" The Doctor said fearfully, stunned, and Amy slipped her hand back into his, entwining their fingers.

"Fortunately, no. Think of yourself as a hybrid Time Lord Amy. You'll still be classified as a human, but as a result of the time energy in your body and the bond you have with your husband, you will live until he dies."

"I don't die, I regenerate." The Doctor reminded her.

"That won't have an effect." Nurse Kelly replied. "If you regenerate, Amy will be fine, until you use up all of your regenerations, and she will die with you. She won't be able to die in any other way, not even if she is killed by a gunshot wound. She'll just recover."

The Doctor had heard many things in his nine hundred and seven years of life, but he'd never felt so amazed. Amy however, was more stunned than amazed. "This is a lot to take in." She whispered, running her free hand through her hair.

"How are you feeling?" Her husband asked her, looking at her in concern, though of course he could feel her emotions. _Still wish you'd led a normal human life and married a boring man and had normal kids? Because you can still have that, if—_

"Don't talk stupid." Amy said aloud, annoyed. The Doctor opened his mouth to speak too, but she clamped her hand over his mouth. "Who wants ordinary when you can have extraordinary? Besides, I'm glad. My one fear was that I would miss out on the rest of your life and our child's life because I don't have the same life span. But now that I do, everything is going to be okay."

The Doctor still couldn't talk, but Amy felt him smiling against her hand. _I love you Amelia Pond. _

"You better." She murmured, taking her hand away from his mouth. _Now, why haven't you kissed me yet?_

Chuckling, the Doctor cupped her face with his free hand, bringing their faces closer together. His lips brushed against hers softly, and she muttered, "Tease" before their kiss deepened.

At Nurse Kelly's polite cough, the Doctor remembered where they were. Drawing back from his wife, he smiled at the nurse sheepishly. "So uh...how far is Amy along?"

Nurse Kelly examined the screen. "Hmm...eight weeks tomorrow."

"Where were we seven weeks and six days ago?" Amy wondered, furrowing her brow as she tried to think back.

The Doctor couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Amy, time is…well…timeless. I have no idea."

_Yeah, and with the way we go at it, I could have conceived anywhere, any day! _

At that, the Doctor's face reddened, and he made an unintelligible noise.

"If you don't mind me saying, I'd guess that you conceived, judging by the amount of time energy surrounding your baby, where time energy is most present." Nurse Kelly told them.

"The console room!" Amy realised, her eyes wide.

"The night we got engaged!" The Doctor exclaimed. "And we moaned at Rory and Hannah for going at it!"

Amy laughed at the irony, but the Doctor quickly sobered up when he thought of something. "Hang on, if Amy conceives again, and she wasn't on the TARDIS, would our second child lack Time Lord qualities? Would they only have one life span?"

"No, after your first child is born, the time energy in Amy will be sufficient for eternity." Nurse Kelly assured him. "You'll be able to produce as many Time Lords as you like."

The Doctor's eyes lip up, and Amy rested her hand on his cheek. "Hey you, let's just have our first one before we think about repopulating the planet, okay?"

"Repopulating…now that's a good idea." The Doctor mused, beaming.

"No way am I having millions of children. How on Earth would we cope?"

"We could have twenty every one hundred years?"

_You only want lots because you know that we'll have lots of fun making them. _

The Doctor would have protested to his wife's thought if she hadn't been right. And judging by her smirk, she wasn't protesting to the idea of recreating the Time Lord species, much to his delight.

~I~

After their ultrasound, Amy and the Doctor had asked Nurse Kelly if she could continue to conduct their ultrasounds, and she'd been thrilled by the offer, especially when they'd also asked if she'd deliver their baby in seven months time.

Once they'd bid her goodbye, they returned to the TARDIS, both clutching photos of their unborn baby. They were quiet as they processed their day in their minds, before the Doctor spoke up.

"I don't think I've ever thanked you." He said softly, gazing down at the console, and Amy looked at him in confusion.

"For what?"

"For giving up everything…human-y. I know I've trapped you into this now." The Doctor replied, gesturing to her stomach, and then to the console room.

"Hey. Shut up." Amy said firmly, approaching him to hold his face in her hands. "I married you, didn't I? I married you, even when I was worried that I wouldn't live for as long as you. You haven't trapped me. I signed up for this life long ago, from the moment you whisked me away from Leadworth and away from Rory."

To her surprise, the Doctor actually looked guilty, and Amy hastened to continue. "And I wouldn't change my life for the world. My home is here. My family is here."

At the word 'family', the Doctor's hearts twisted in his chest. "You're certain your life is complete?" Although he hated to ask her that, he knew he had to, knowing her Aunt was dead and her parents had been erased from her memory. He had to know that _he_ was enough, and he had to know if lying to her about her family was enough too.

"I have you, and we're having a baby together. What else do I need?" Amy asked him fondly, smiling at him.

Her question had clearly been rhetorical, but the Doctor, being the Doctor, answered it anyway. "Stability?" He guessed, knowing that's what most humans desired.

"Stability? Oh please. Give me mad instead."

Before he could say anything else, her lips were on his. Giving in, the Doctor clasped his arms around her waist and kissed her back, pulling her body closer to his.

_Bed. Now. _

As much as the Doctor would have loved to fulfil her request, he couldn't, remembering what had happened earlier. _We can't. We broke it._

_Fine then. I'm happy here._

But before anything could escalate, Amy felt her husband's reluctance, killing the mood instantly.

"You want to go and get a bed now, don't you?" She realised, releasing him and stepping away. "Instead of ravishing me."

The Doctor braved telling the truth to his normally temperamental wife. "Um...yes?"

"Fine. We can go and buy a bed now." Amy told him, before her lips curved up into a smirk. "As long as you promise to ravish me on it afterwards."

Laughing at her husband's expression, she pulled the green lever down on the console, whisking the TARDIS off to another part of the universe.


	58. Chapter 58

**Gosh, it HAS been a while. I apologise for that; settling into a new life is rather hectic, haha. And I have another good reason; I always try to write big chapters like this one in one go, and only recently have I found the time to sit down and type furiously. **

**I apologise if this chapter is written poorly; it's been quite a while since I've written anything. So please be gentle in your reviews? *winces* Although I still expect the death-by-sonic-screwdriver threats that I know some of you will post for not updating for so long, haha!**

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Now that Amy and the Doctor had celebrated their pregnancy enough, the Doctor decided that they needed to tell their friends about it. Jack and Alonzo knew already, of course, and knowing Jack, he'd already told Rory and Hannah. However, that didn't perturb the Doctor, and he flew the TARDIS to Leadworth whilst Amy was napping on their new bed.

Once the Doctor had landed the TARDIS in the small village, he pulled the scanner towards him, double checking that'd he parked in the right place. His parking skills weren't exactly efficient, but he was pleased to see that he'd parked well, for once. Instead of parking outside of Rory and Hannah's house, he'd parked his ship in the graveyard beside the Leadworth church. He thought Amy would like to visit her Aunt's grave before they visited their friends.

But the picture presented in the scanner didn't look right. And the Doctor didn't know why.

Frowning, he pushed the scanner away and headed to the TARDIS doors, throwing them open to examine his surroundings.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

The Doctor licked his finger and held it up in the air. Everything seemed to be fine. The temperature wasn't abnormal and the village was still dull…but something had happened; he could feel it. Leadworth was different. It was too…silent. He couldn't even hear birds chirping, or insects scuttling through the grass.

"I swear your sense of direction is getting worse." He heard Amy remark from behind him, and he spun around to face her.

"What do you mean?" He asked her cautiously.

Amy chuckled as she stepped forward to join him in the doorway. "We're in the graveyard. Unless Rory and Hannah now live under a gravestone, we're in the wrong place. Losing your sense of direction is a sign of old age, you know."

"Very funny." The Doctor muttered, rolling his eyes. "There's a reason for why we're here. I thought you'd want to visit your Aunt."

Amy's smile faded, and she frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Doctor, I don't have an Aunt."

"I know you don't. Not anymore." The Doctor said quickly, not wanting to upset her. "Maybe I worded it wrong. I meant that I thought you'd want to pay your respects to your Aunt's grave while we're here. I'm certain you'll want to tell Sharon about your pregnancy."

Amy was quiet for a moment, and the Doctor mistook her silence for anger. "Sorry if this was a bad idea." He added hastily. "I never meant to—"

But he broke off when a tear slid down Amy's cheek. He reached out to wipe it away, and Amy blinked, as if she was just realising that she was upset. "Must be cold out here." She muttered, as another tear fell. "Stupid cold air. Anyway, who the hell is Sharon?"

The Doctor froze, horrified.

This couldn't be happening again. He couldn't take it if more of Amy's history had been erased.

"I don't have an Aunt called Sharon. I don't even have an Aunt!" And then Amy laughed, shocking her husband further. "You must be confused. See? Old age."

The Doctor forced himself to laugh, but it was a strangled sound, a cross between a sob and scream, and he turned away from her, hiding his true emotion.

He seemed to forget that Amy could feel it. "Hey, what's wrong?" She whispered, and he felt her press against his back, slipping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his tweed jacket.

The Doctor placed his hands over hers, and closed his eyes, opening up their connection to sever the link between their emotions. It wouldn't stay unlinked for long, but it would give him enough time to recover and put on a façade, good enough for her to believe it.

"Nothing's wrong." He said cheerily, forcing a smile and turning around to face her. "You're right. Old age. I just remembered why we're here."

"Oh?" Amy raised one eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"Nasty bacteria growing on some of the gravestones. It's called…AuntSharonosa." The Doctor told her, inventing the name quickly. "I'll be back in a minute. Stay here while I go and remove it, the bacteria is toxic to pregnant women."

Without giving Amy a chance to reply, the Doctor bolted from the TARDIS, heading into the graveyard. He knew exactly where Sharon's grave was located, having buried her with the help of Rory, and he ran towards it, his fear and desperation making him sprint faster than ever before.

Fortunately, Amy wouldn't be able to see him from where the TARDIS was parked, and he hurried towards her Aunt's grave.

At least, he thought it was her grave. It was hard to tell; the gravestone was blank. The inscription had vanished.

With trembling hands, the Doctor withdrew his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and aimed it at the ground situated under the gravestone. If his sonic made a bleeping sound, Sharon's body was still there.

He waited patiently, expecting his sonic to identify Amy's aunt, bur as the seconds went by, he knew it was useless. She was gone.

And then the gravestone beside hers caught his eye. It was blank too.

Stunned, the Doctor whirled around, gazing at the other gravestones. Every single one of them was blank.

The light from the cracks in time had absorbed everyone, erasing them from memory, and from existence.

Suddenly it struck him why the village was so silent. If a crack in time had formed here, then it hadn't just absorbed the remains of old villagers, it had absorbed live people too.

Maybe the crack was still here. Maybe it was still absorbing.

And he'd left Amy by herself.

"Amy!" He cried, racing back towards the TARDIS, his hearts pounding furiously in his chest. "Amy!"

Once he caught sight of her, he could have collapsed in relief. Stumbling towards her, he gathered her into his arms, clasping her to him. "Oh Amy." He sighed, burying his face in her hair.

Amy pulled back to look at him questioningly. To his anguish, she was still crying. "What's up with you?"

Without giving him a chance to answer, she continued. "This stupid wind keeps making my eyes water. Did you sort out the bacteria thing so that we can leave?"

"Of course." The Doctor lied, pulling her back into the safety of the TARDIS. "Sadly, it's done some damage, but it'll be okay. Soon."

Amy nodded, believing him, and she walked towards the console room stairs. "Good. I'm going to go and wash my face, and when I return, I expect to be at Rory and Hannah's house, okay?"

The Doctor quickly agreed, and she grinned at him before ascending up the staircase. The moment she disappeared from sight, his shoulders sagged, and he collapsed onto the console chair.

~I~

When Amy returned to the console room, the Doctor's façade was barely intact, but he held it together as he flew the TARDIS to Rory and Hannah's house.

Rory and Hannah had heard the TARDIS approaching, and they were waiting in their garden for them when Amy and the Doctor left their ship. Amy was too distracted with greeting her best friends to notice the Doctor scanning their surroundings nervously, looking for the cracks in time.

"About time you showed your face around here!" He heard Rory remark to him, and he reluctantly turned his gaze towards him. "Wondered how long it would take you to fly here and give us the good news."

"What good news?" Amy asked innocently, though she knew what he was talking about. The Doctor had told her that Jack had been the one to tell him that she was pregnant.

"No need to pretend Amy. Hannah and I both know that you're pregnant." Rory said, grinning as he wrapped his arms around her. "Jack told us after the mansion trip."

"That man has such a big mouth." Amy commented, laughing as she hugged her friend back. "And that wasn't an innuendo."

Laughing, the two of them began to make their way into the house. Hannah went to follow after them, but she paused when she noticed the Doctor scanning the house with his sonic screwdriver.

"Doctor, is there something wrong?" Hannah asked him, concerned.

The Doctor was silent for a moment. "I don't know yet." He said eventually, his brow furrowing. "But you're going to need to leave. Now."

"Excuse me?"

"You and Rory are going to stay on the TARDIS for a bit." He told her, pocketing his sonic. "There's some nasty bacteria growing in Leadworth, and I don't want you both in harm's way."

"Is it here now?" Hannah asked, looking around fearfully. "What does it look like?"

The Doctor ignored her second question. "It's not here now. But it will be. Trust me Hannah. The quicker we leave, the safer we'll all be."

Hannah studied him for a moment, before nodding. "We should go now then. I'll go upstairs and started packing some clothes for Rory and I."

The Doctor knew that there was no need for her to do that, after all, the TARDIS always supplied whatever was essential, but with her out of the way momentarily, he could focus solely on lying to Amy and Rory to get them into the TARDIS. Hannah had believed his lie, but if she was with Rory and Amy, and they doubted him, then she would too. And he didn't have time to convince her again, because Amy would be the hardest to convince. She knew him too well, and that scared him. But he'd lied to her for so long that he hoped he'd be able to evacuate everyone safely without a hitch.

So he hurried into the house after Hannah, and she headed upstairs whilst he ran into the living room, throwing the door open in his haste. Both Amy and Rory jumped as the door crashed into the wall, and they looked at him in alarm.

"We're leaving. Now." The Doctor commanded, heading over to where Amy was sitting and pulling her to her feet.

"What? Why?" Amy demanded, her eyes narrowing. "We just got here!"

The Doctor ignored her. "You too Rory. Let's go!" He barked, pointing to the door. "We don't have much time!"

As he expected, neither Amy nor Rory moved. "What the fuck is going on?" His wife snapped, her hands on her hips.

Amy never swore, unless she was really furious. But the Doctor didn't have time to fear her wrath now; he feared for her safety much more. "That bacteria. It's back. And it will kill all of us if we don't move, _now!_"

Rory's faced paled, and he immediately hurried towards the door.

"Rory, stay where you are!" Amy yelled, glaring at her best friend, and he halted.

Then she turned her livid gaze on her husband. "You said that the bacteria had been taken care of!" She hissed, prodding her finger into his chest. "Are you lying to us? Tell me what's really going on!"

Plan A wasn't working, he should have known that Amy would never listen to him while he was acting so controlling.

So it was time for Plan B: unleashing the desperate, loving father-to-be.

"Amy, please." He whispered pleadingly, his hands reaching up to cradle her face. "Please, trust me. We need to go. Rory and Hannah aren't safe here."

He watched as Amy's eyes softened, and he could see that she was swaying, but not swaying enough. So he closed his agonised eyes, and rested his forehead against hers. "I can't lose you Amy. And I can't lose our baby. Not over something like this. Please…" He trailed off, and waited.

Finally, he felt Amy fist her hands in his tweed jacket, clinging onto him, but she remained silent.

He opened his eyes slowly, and saw that she was crying silently again. His hearts churning, he pulled her into his arms, and buried his face in her soft, auburn hair. "Amy, please. We need to leave." He paused to draw in a ragged breath, and clutched her tighter. "Please my love…"

The Earth team of endearment had slipped out of his mouth before, startling both him and Amy, though she later admitted that she'd loved hearing him call her that.

She reacted to the word now, and he felt her draw back to gaze up at him, fierce determination blazing in her hazel eyes. She didn't need to say anything; the Doctor already knew that she believed him, and together, they ran after Rory out of the house, holding onto each other tightly.

It was only when they were outside, running across the lawn, that the Doctor remembered Hannah. He stopped suddenly, nearly causing Amy to fall over, and released her from his arms. "Take Rory into the TARDIS." He told her, backing away from her. "I'll be back in a minute."

Amy immediately panicked, and she lurched forward to grab him, but the Doctor caught her wrists in his hands. "No!" She hissed, her eyes still brimming with tears. "You can't worry me like this and then go back into the house!"

Before the Doctor could reassure her, a loud, ear-splitting sound filled the countryside tranquillity, and all three of them sank to the ground, clutching their heads in their hands.

_A-Amy…get in the TARDIS. Crawl if you have to, just go!_

Amy's eyes met his as he opened their link, and she nodded, her face lined with determination again.

But before she could move, the noise ended abruptly, and the ground began to rumble under their feet.

The Doctor managed to clamber to his feet, and he immediately helped Amy up. He knew that a crack in time was about to form, but he didn't know where.

"Go!" He bellowed, pushing Amy towards the TARDIS. "Both of you! Into the TARDIS! Now!"

But Rory shook his head fiercely. "Hannah's in there Doctor, I can't—"

"That's an order Williams!" The Doctor snapped. "Now listen to me!"

"Rory, please!" Amy cried, latching onto him and attempting to haul him towards the TARDIS. "The Doctor will get Hannah! Come on!"

The Doctor didn't wait to hear Rory's reply, and he began sprinting towards the house, determined to find Hannah in time. He should never have left her alone. He should have kept her in sight.

He was almost at the door when he heard Amy begin to scream. Whirling around, he saw her crumple to the floor, her hands clutching her head as she continued to wail.

He'd seen her react like that before; the last time she had seen the crack in time.

Now Hannah wasn't his priority.

"Amy!" He cried, sprinting towards his broken wife, his hearts beating furiously in his chest. He willed himself to calm down, but he was near to losing it, and he knew it.

Once he'd reached her, he fell to his knees beside her, and cupped her face in his hands to tilt her face towards his. The desperation and sheer panic in her eyes worried him instantly, especially when she reached up to grasp onto his jacket again. She looked like she was drowning.

She wouldn't be able to hear him. She was lost in her mind.

Opening their link again, the Doctor attempted to connect with her, but her mind was an endless pit, and he could feel himself spiralling with her. He had to withdraw from her mind, for fear of losing himself too.

"Amy! Can you hear me?" He cried, shaking her frantically.

Her breathing was laboured, and her eyes were wide. She stared at him unseeingly, and he knew that she wasn't there with him.

"Hannah…" She began to gasp, her hands pulling at his jacket. "The Daleks…they're in her room…they want….they want—"

And then her eyes rolled to the back of the head, and she collapsed.

The Doctor reacted instantly, and he picked her limp body up in his arms and ran over to the TARDIS. He managed to click his fingers, and the door swung open, letting him inside. His ship had already left a bed beside the doors, and he laid his wife on it.

"Look after her." He whispered to the TARDIS as he stepped out, and he locked the doors with his sonic screwdriver. "Don't let her out."

It was only then that he realised Rory was nowhere in sight. Of course he had gone after his wife. "No!" He cried, sprinting back towards the house. "Rory! Hannah!"

He knew it was dangerous, and reckless, going back into the house. But he couldn't let his friends die. Not after everything they'd been through.

He screamed their names again as he ran up the stairs, heading straight towards their bedroom.

The door was closed, but he could see the white light from the crack in time seeping through the small gaps in the doorframe.

He was too late.

But he wouldn't give up.

Withdrawing his sonic screwdriver, he blasted the door away.

The sight he saw struck him with grief, and he felt himself staggering backwards. Hannah and Rory were standing in the bedroom, both of them bathed in white light, and they were holding onto each other tightly. Both of them looked terrified, and both had tears streaming down their faces. Already, their bodies had started to fade away.

"I'm sorry!" The Doctor cried hoarsely, reaching out for them. He couldn't move towards them any further; the light would take him too.

Rory's eyes suddenly met his, and the intensity in his gaze scared the Doctor. "Save Amy." He whispered, his voice sounding far away, and the Doctor knew he was losing them.

"I will. I'll protect her with everything—"

He had to break off then, to swallow back the sobs that were threatening to erupt. "Rory, Hannah, I—"

"Save her!" Rory repeated fiercely, his face fading away into nothingness.

And then they were gone.

The rumbling stopped, and the light faded, leaving a long crack in the bedroom wall.

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**And just like that, the finale plot is speedily picking up. Mwahaha :D**

**Hayley x**


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N: After the aftermath of last chapter, I know I left you all hanging, but thanks for hanging in there. Haha - see what I did there? I amuse myself! Anyhow, apologies for the wait. You should all be used to this by now. I'm struggling to write what will be a very difficult, last ten chapters to this story. Sigh.**

**In other news, I am moving out next year! A long way away from my family actually, which is amazing yet terrifying at the same time. Now that is a story in itself! Haha.**

**Enjoy this chapter guys; the last chapter before the storm hits. And that's all the spoilers I'm giving, so stop with the PM's begging me for information. Not gonna happen, as much as I love you all! ;D**

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The Doctor was frozen in place. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the crack in time, his mind whirring with the devastating events that had only occurred moments ago.

Two of the his closest friends were dead.

Dead, because of him.

Dead, because of Amy.

_No._

The Doctor couldn't think like that. He vehemently _refused_ to think like that. He couldn't bear the guilt on his already shattered conscience, burdened enough by his wife's connection to the cracks in time.

Although he was fine physically, he felt like he was drowning. Drowning in the depths of guilt that swarmed his mind. Amy's best friend, a man that she used to call her brother, had been wiped away from her memory, all because of him.

Rory Williams was gone. He'd been the only person in Amy's life that had _always _been there for her. The only one who'd _always_ pieced her back together. He'd been her strength, her support, and he'd been her only family.

The Doctor couldn't deny that Rory had been the best person in Amy's life. Not even he could fulfil the role that Rory had played, and he was her husband. He had faults; he'd left Amy more than once, and disappointed her throughout her life, but his biggest fault was failing to save Rory.

Now Amy would never remember him, and the Doctor couldn't help but hate himself, knowing that he'd taken away the best part of his wife's life. Now all she had was him, and their unborn child.

There was nothing else left to be taken away. Amy's family, her friends, and even her old home were gone. Leadworth was well on its way to being wiped off of the map.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. The end was approaching. The end of _them._ And he didn't think he could run anymore.

Again, he had to reprimand himself. He wouldn't think like that. He had to save Amy. He had to save their child. He would do anything, and everything, to protect his family.

Suddenly, he felt his psychic link with Amy tremor, and he opened it, realising that she was beginning to wake up.

He had to be there when she woke up, to stop her from going outside, and potentially remembering what had just happened. He had to act like nothing had happened, so he took off, charging out of the house at a swift pace.

He had to stop himself from bursting through the doors, not wanting to alarm Amy, so he tried to mask his emotion as he slipped quietly inside the TARDIS.

The bed that he'd left her on the bed was vacant, and he looked around the console room, panicked by her absence.

And then he saw her appear at the top of the console room stairs, scowling down at him. "Where have you been mister?" She demanded, hands on her hips.

The Doctor almost couldn't believe that this was the same person. She'd been wailing and screaming minutes ago, and now she was her normal self, if her blazing hazel gaze was anything to go by. His fiery wife was back.

"Exploring. You were asleep, so I left you by the TARDIS doors in case you woke up and wanted to join me." The Doctor said smoothly, the lies forming easily. "I assume you didn't feel like it then?"

Amy's brow furrowed. "Your second wife wouldn't let me out." She muttered, and the Doctor had never felt so much gratitude towards his TARDIS.

_Thank you dear._

_Anytime._

"Should I be jealous? I mean, I tried using my sonic on the doors, but nope, she wouldn't budge. Wants you all to herself. " Amy was still ranting, but the Doctor wanted her to let it out of her system, so he stayed quiet. "Although, maybe it was for the best. I really am too tired to go gallivanting across the galaxy. How long was I asleep for? Can't have been long, I'm still exhausted."

After the day that she had – but didn't remember – the Doctor wasn't surprised. He was shattered too. In both senses of the word. "Not long. I'm tired too. Bed?"

"Bed." Amy echoed, her face softening as the Doctor made his way up to her, his arms outstretched. She immediately burrowed into his embrace, slipping her arms around his waist and holding tightly onto him.

"Did you have a good time exploring?" She whispered, nuzzling her face against his neck, and sighing in contentment when she felt the Doctor wrap his arms securely around her.

"Not really. It felt…empty…without you." He murmured back, running his hands up and down the expanse of her back. "Never again."

"Never." Amy agreed, tilting her head to kiss the edge of his jaw.

~I~

Once the Doctor had flown the TARDIS away from Leadworth and once they were in their bedroom, they both changed into their TARDIS print pyjamas and climbed into bed. Usually Amy slept on her side, and the Doctor slept behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and moulding to the shape of her body. But today, they both lay facing each other, their bodies pressed together and their limbs entangled.

Amy fell asleep almost instantly, but the Doctor stayed awake. He'd been the one that had initiated their new sleeping position, needing to see _and_ feel her as much as possible. Still not satisfied, he moved his head forward until his forehead was touching hers.

Being in her warm embrace comforted him, and he almost forgot about their horrific day. Almost.

He felt his body shudder, and then stopped himself when he felt Amy's body twitch, reacting to his movement, even though she was asleep. It never failed to amaze him how they were connected in so many ways.

Closing his eyes, the Doctor tightened his hold on her, and drifted off to sleep.

~I~

_White light was everywhere, blinding him, crippling him. All he could hear were Amy's screams, and he began to move in the direction of her voice._

"_Amy? Amy, I'm here!" He cried frantically, reaching out for her, though he knew that she wasn't near him._

"_Doctor! Take…take—"_

_Suddenly the light faded away, allowing the Doctor to see Amy standing a way away from him, clutching a baby close to her chest. As he ran towards her, he saw her ashen, tear-stained face, and then immediately saw the reason for why she was so upset._

_Tendrils of light were starting to wrap around her legs, and they were slowly progressing up her body. "Take our baby!" She cried, holding the newborn away from her as the Doctor neared her._

"_Amy, no!" _

"_It's too late." She sobbed, shaking her head furiously. "You were too late. It's over."_

_The Doctor reached her then, and immediately, he took the baby from her, clutching their child closer to his chest. "No…Amy!" Supporting their child with one arm, he reached out for Amy with the other, but she took a step away from him._

"_This is all your fault!" She cried, her eyes now gleaming with hatred. "Our child will grow up without a mother, because of you!"_

"_No—Amy! Please! It's not too late—"_

_But she was already fading away. "Your fault…your fault!"_

"_Amy!"_

_He reached out for her again, but he his hand grasped nothingness. She was gone. _

"_No! Amy! I didn't—I'm sorry!"_

"Doctor?"

"_Amy? Amy!"_

"Doctor, I'm here! Wake up!"

With a start, the Doctor bolted upright, panting. He could feel sweat beading along his hairline, and he realised that his hands were gripping the duvet, so tightly that his knuckles were white. Amy was kneeling beside him on the bed, frowning in concern.

"That was some dream you were having." She stated, cupping his face gently with her hands. "You kept writhing in the bed, and crying my name…do I want to know what you were dreaming about?"

_A dream. It had only been a dream._

"No." The Doctor whispered, wiping at his face with his pyjama sleeve. "I can't talk about it."

He could feel Amy's concern, and realised that their emotional link had been restored, which meant she could feel his desperation, and panic. No wonder she looked so worried.

"I've never seen you so…" Amy trailed off to bite her lip, searching for the right word. "…broken."

The Doctor took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. It didn't work, and Amy's frown deepened. Her hands left his face and trailed to his chest, where she felt his heartbeats racing. "What can I do to help you?" She asked him, her tone desperate. Seeing him like that affected her too.

The only comfort the Doctor had was Amy, and he needed her. Losing himself in his wife was the only thing that was keeping him from losing it completely.

Amy knew instantly what he needed, and her hands returned to his face, coaxing his head towards hers. She expected him to be tender, so she was surprised when his lips crashed to hers, kissing her deeply, pouring all of his pain into the kiss.

The weight of his desire for her ignited hers too, and they tumbled back into bed.

~I~

The Doctor felt cold when he awoke later on, as Amy was no longer beside him. Willing himself not to think the worst, he slipped out of bed and allowed his TARDIS to guide him to his wife.

She led him to the kitchen, and he paused in the doorway when he saw Amy standing at the counter, her back to him. She was humming to herself, which was a good sign.

Although the Doctor couldn't see what she was doing, he knew that she was content, so he remained silent, watching her work.

It was only when the TARDIS engines hummed that Amy glanced behind her. "Oh hello you!" She greeted her husband, waving her hand that was holding a knife.

The Doctor finally cracked a smile. "Should I be worried?" He asked her, nodding at the knife that his wife was brandishing.

"Whoops. Nope, no worry needed." Amy lowered the knife onto the counter, before skipping over to her husband. "You okay this morning?"

The Doctor didn't have an answer to that question, but he managed to nod his head.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up." Amy said sorrowfully, resting her hands on his shoulders. "But I was struck by creativity this morning."

"That's a first for you, isn't it?" The Doctor quipped, relieved to have been given an opportunity to change the subject, and he had to duck out of the way when Amy tried to swat him.

"Watch it you, I can always go and get the knife." She said playfully, heading back over to the counter while the Doctor sat down at the kitchen table. "Anyway, guess what I made this morning?"

"Fish finger and custard soup?" The Doctor guessed hopefully, patting his stomach.

"No, but I'm making that for you later. Guess again."

"I give up."

"That's a first for you, isn't it?" Amy remarked, repeating his earlier words, and the Doctor poked his tongue out at her.

"Fine then spoilsport, I'll show you. Tada!"

Amy stepped to the side of the counter, allowing the Doctor to see a row of red apples, all with carved faces. Memories of their past suddenly hit him, when they'd first met, where a seven year old Amelia Pond had given him an apple. That apple had been a pivotal moment to their early relationship, but they'd never discussed it since, causing the Doctor to wonder why Amy was suddenly making replicas of the apple years later.

"Aren't they cute?" Amy said cheerfully, grinning. "And look, the one on the end looks exactly like the one I gave to you when I was seven."

And then the Doctor realised. Her mother had been the one who had made those apples for her, and now Amy was doing it. Her maternal instincts were kicking in now that she was pregnant, and the apples showed that she yearned for her own mother, even without intentionally realising it. If she had remembered that she used to have a mother, and a father, and Rory, she'd be dead.

"Yes, it does." The Doctor said eventually, frowning slightly at the row of apples.

"I thought that we could give one to each of our friends, or post them. It could be a way of announcing our pregnancy news." Amy commented, picking up one of the apples to polish it with her pyjama sleeve.

"Like who?" The Doctor asked distractedly, still looking intently at the apples.

"Jack, Vincent, Liz10, Winston, Sarah Jane, maybe River and...um...that's weird. I can't think of anyone else."

"Alonzo?"

"Who?"

That caught the Doctor's attention.

"Who's Alonzo? Have we met an Alonzo?"

The Doctor's mask was smoothly back in place. "Old friend of mine. Haven't spoken to him in a while. Last time I saw him, he was dying of-"

And then he had to break off, wondering about Jack.

Jack was a time traveller, so he could remember Alonzo, but Alonzo was part of his timeline, which had been rewritten. He hadn't just cost Amy her family and friends; he'd killed Jack's soulmate too.

Rising abruptly, the Doctor mumbled an excuse about having to check the atmospheric cables, before bolting from the room. He had to ring Jack, just to know that he was still okay, so he headed towards the console room, and picked up the phone to dial his number.

"Hello my old friend!" Jack's cheerful voice boomed from the other side of the line, immediately after the first ring. "How are you? Still old?"

"Thanks for that." The Doctor said dryly, though he was relieved that Jack seemed to be his cheery self. Of course he would be - he didn't realise his boyfriend had been removed from existence.

"You're welcome. You really are ancient, you know. But that's okay, because I will be too, soon. We can have Zimmer frame fights!"

"Funny." The Doctor paused, and began to twirl the cord of the phone around his finger. "Hey …Jack? You're okay, right?"

"Wonderful, thanks. Lost a ton of money gambling last night, but oh well. Can't complain!" Jack told him, chuckling. "How are you and Amy? And how's baby Pond?"

Despite his mood, the Doctor couldn't help but beam at Jack's term for his unborn child. "We're all magnificent. Do you want to come over?" It was his belief that if Jack stayed on the TARDIS with Amy and him, then the void of their missing friends and family would be filled.

"Ooh Doctor, cheating on the wife already? I know I'm single, but I don't date older men." Jack joked in response, before he sobered up. "Of course I'll come over. I just have a few things to do first, okay?"

The Doctor's mood began to brighten. "Okay, but ring first, would you? Can't afford to have a heart attack."

"No way. That ruins the surprise, and I know how much you _love_ those…see you later monkey boy!"

Hanging up, the Doctor was still smiling, until a photograph taped to the TARDIS console column caught his eye.

_Impossible. _

It was a photograph taken at his wedding. Amy had her leg hitched around his waist, and so did Jack. The Doctor looked bewildered, while they were both laughing.

On either side of them, were Rory, Hannah and Alonzo, who all looked as shocked as the Doctor, excluding Rory, who was grinning.

They shouldn't have been in the photo. They'd been removed from time, but yet, here they were. Planted firmly in history. Still planted in the _Doctor's_ history.

As impossible as the photo was, the Doctor couldn't help but feel a small glimmer of hope, knowing that maybe, just maybe; his friends hadn't been completely removed from existence.

"Doctor?"

At the sound of his wife's voice, the Doctor yanked the photo down and stuffed it into the pocket of his pyjama top, knowing full well about the danger Amy would be in if she saw the content of the photograph.

"Yes Amy?"

"Catch!"

Turning around, the Doctor saw Amy standing at the top of the console room stairs, and she tossed one of the apples she'd carved down to him. When the Doctor caught it, he saw that it was the apple that was alike to the one she'd given to him when she was seven.

"Thought it might cheer you up." Amy told him quietly, walking down the stairs towards him. "I'm sorry to hear about your friend Alonzo."

And just like that, the guilt was back.

"That's okay." The Doctor managed to say, holding his arms out so that Amy could snuggle into his embrace.

Amy tilted her head to look at him, and she began to frown. "Then why are you still so sad?"

"I'm not sad." The Doctor lied, meeting her gaze evenly. "It's just one of those days, where the Universe sort of…hits me at once. Everything that's ever happened, the friends and family that I've lost, it all comes back to me."

"It's okay, I'm here." Amy murmured, tightening her grip on him.

_But for how much longer?_

"And our baby's here." Taking one of his hands, she placed it over the small curve of her pregnancy bump.

Just feeling his baby's double heartbeat comforted the Doctor, and he smiled at Amy, who beamed in response, glad to see that he was beginning to cheer up. "I love you." She whispered, before kissing him softly. The Doctor sighed against her lips, and crushed her closer to him.

"Want me to make you some of that disgusting fish finger and custard soup now?" Amy asked after she broke their kiss, pulling back to grin at him.

"Absolutely." The Doctor replied, still smiling as Amy walked away from him, back towards the kitchen.

~I~

However, the positive mood that the Doctor was currently feeling was instantly shattered when he heard Amy scream his name minutes later, and he flew up the stairs, his hearts pounding furiously in his chest.

He followed the sound of her shrieks, which led him to their en-suite bathroom. He was so worried that when he threw open the door, it crashed against the wall with a resounding bang, denting the wood and the wall. The TARDIS grumbled in displeasure, but the Doctor couldn't care less, horrified by the sight of his wife slumped over the toilet.

"Never again." He heard Amy groan, and he hurried over to her, sinking down onto the tile beside her.

"What's wrong?" The Doctor demanded, worried that she wouldn't look up at him.

"Pregnancy sickness." Amy mumbled, wearily turning her head to look at him, and the Doctor's hearts churned at seeing her look so miserable, and ill. "I thought it was too late in the pregnancy to be—"

But she never finished her sentence, because she began to heave.

"Oh Jupiter." The Doctor whispered as he began to rub her back, a gesture he'd seen on a television programme once. "It's okay Amy, just get it all up."

Amy couldn't speak, so she settled for swatting him. When the retching ceased, she raised her head, and the Doctor wiped her face with some tissue.

"Is this normal?" She asked him tiredly, her face ashen.

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders, which panicked Amy. "Tell me it's normal!" She hissed, grabbing the collar of his pyjama top.

"I'll get a baby manual." The Doctor replied quickly, un-attaching her hands from his collar. "There's probably one around here somewhere."

"I bloody hope so. But then, you do have a track record with manuals, as you like to throw them into Supernovas." Amy said blearily, rubbing her eyes.

The Doctor couldn't argue with that, but he was certain that there was a baby book in the library, so he settled for kissing Amy in reply, ignoring her attempts to cover her mouth and push him away. He'd _eaten_ worse than what her breath smelled like, so it didn't bother him, and then he hurried off to find the baby book.

The baby book turned out _not_ to be in the library, and then the Doctor remembered he'd thrown it into his umbrella wardrobe, along with the books that he'd deemed useless to him. After he retrieved it, he ran back to the bathroom.

Amy was still being sick, so he sat down next to her again, holding the baby book in one hand and holding her hair back with the other.

"According to this, you can get morning sickness at any time up to twelve weeks, and in some cases, the sickness can last the duration of the pregnancy." He quoted, skimming over the page about pregnancy symptoms.

Amy groaned, and weakly raised her head to look at him. "There must be medicine somewhere in the Universe that can cure pregnancy sickness."

"No, there isn't. I'm sorry." The Doctor said regretfully, lowering the book to wrap his arms around her. "I could try to make some, but it would take decades."

Amy sighed, and slumped against him, defeated. "You know, it's your fault I feel sick. I couldn't stomach the custard." She admitted, closing her eyes.

"Speaking of which, did you finish making the soup?" He asked her, though when Amy opened her eyes and glared at him, he knew it was the wrong question to ask. "Doesn't matter." He added quickly.

"It's in the bin." Amy told him, moving her body so that she could lay her head in the Doctor's lap.

Chuckling, the Doctor began to run his fingers through her hair, and Amy sighed in contentment, closing her eyes.

But the tranquil atmosphere was instantly broken when they both heard the phone start to ring. They ignored it at first, but the phone continued to ring.

Finally, Amy gave in, and she sat up. "Can you go and answer it? It's hurting my ears."

"Of course." The Doctor rose to his feet, and started for the door, when Amy began to heave again. He turned back to help her, but she waved him away, choking out, "Phone!"

Knowing that he had to answer it and knowing that he had to get back to Amy as quickly as possible, he ran into their bedroom and took out the phone from under the bed.

"Whatever it is, it can wait!" He barked into the phone. "My wife's clogging up the TARDIS pipes!"

"Charming." River's drawl came from the other end of the line, shocking the Doctor. But he was relieved that she was calling him, she was the only other person aside from himself that was trying to uncover the mystery about the cracks in time.

"River, I'm so glad to hear from you." He sighed into the phone, making sure his voice was lowered so that there was no possibility of Amy hearing their conversation.

"That's a first. Well, from _this_ you anyway."

The Doctor ignored her. "The crack in time came back, and it absorbed Amy's best friends." He told her quietly, his eyes on the closed bathroom door.

"Is Amy okay?" River demanded, alarmed, shocking the Doctor again.

"She's fine. Can't remember a thing." He assured her. "Well, she's being sick at the moment, so maybe she's not fine."

"I'm glad you two finally realised." River stated, and the Doctor heard her chuckle. "Took you a while, but you got there."

"Excuse me?"

"Amy's pregnancy. I knew immediately after our little trip to the moon base, with the chamber."

"You knew, and you didn't tell us!" The Doctor hissed. "Why did you keep that from us?"

"We were dealing with a crack in time, if I'd told you, you'd have panicked even more." River replied, and the Doctor sighed, knowing that she was right.

"You're right – this time. Look River, there must have been a reason you called. You said you might have something about the cracks in time and about Amy's strange reactions. Please tell me you found something."

There was a small pause on the other side of the line. "I did actually, but you're not going to like it." River said eventually, sounding wary.

"Just tell me." The Doctor commanded anxiously.

"I can't, it's better if I show you." River told him. "Fly the TARDIS here immediately."

"And where's 'here' exactly?"

"January the 2nd, 1890. I'm at Vincent Van Gogh's home."

For the third time in the conversation, the Doctor was left bewildered. "What?" He demanded, no longer caring about the volume of his voice. "What are you doing there?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. Hurry."

There was a small click, and the Doctor knew she'd hung up.

And then he sprang into action. Running back to the bathroom, he threw open the door again, denting the wall for the second time, and exclaimed, "Hey Pond, how would you feel about making a house call to Vincent Van Gogh, _right now_?"

* * *

**Something tells me that the Doctor will soon regret taking Amy to see Vincent and River. **

**Next chapter is Chapter 60 – can you believe that? And it's a BIG one, trust me! And I'm not talking about length ;D**

**Hayley x**

**p.s Well done Niro for finally getting an account! I am very proud xD**


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N: Don't ask me why I'm updating at 4am. Can't sleep. Think it was the weather that woke me up - I decided to go for a cigarette in the garden in my pyjamas and it's fucking cold outside. Oh, and the tub of Ben and Jerries that I consumed an hour ago probably didn't help either! Curse my bad habits.**

**Anyways! Happy New Year to you all! Tiny bit late, but there ya go! **

**Hope this chapter doesn't depress you all. You might be the ones who need a cigarette afterwards. I'm kidding. If you're underage kids, stay awayyy from those things. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The Doctor had expected his usually temperamental wife to kick up a fuss about going to visit Vincent Van Gogh feeling as ill as she was, but to his relief, her sickness had passed, and she was eager to see their old friend.

Not wanting to spoil her sudden good mood, the Doctor neglected to tell her that River Song would be waiting for them at his house, a move that proved to be extremely very not good.

The moment Amy saw River waiting for them, she let rip into the Doctor, ranting about how he would always follow River to the end of the Universe, or something along those lines. The Doctor could barely make out what she was saying; when Amy worked herself up, her words tended to run into each other, becoming a Scottish blur to his normally excellent hearing.

Before the Doctor could say anything to calm his wife down, River spoke up. "Your future self was right, you really are a grouchy Madame during your first pregnancy." She remarked, stopping Amy's tirade.

"I beg your pardon?" Amy spluttered, and the Doctor used her shock to finally reach out and touch her, as she'd kept pushing him away when he'd tried to reach her during her fuming.

River ignored her, and turned her gaze on the Doctor. "We need to get inside. Vincent's having a fit."

Nodding, the Doctor took Amy's hand, and they hurried after River into the small cottage.

To their horror, they could hear Vincent screaming as they entered, and they burst into the living room of the house to see the artist curled up on the stone floor, clutching his head. Now that they were closer, they could just about make out his words.

"No…no! Not…not…no!"

"What's wrong with him?" Amy whispered to the Doctor, her eyes filling up with tears, terrified for her friend.

But the Doctor couldn't answer her, or even look at Vincent. His eyes were fixed on a painting hanging up to dry on the right side of the wall.

Both River and Amy followed his gaze, and while Amy just looked confused by the painting, River knew exactly why the artwork had caught the Doctor's attention.

"This is what you had to show me?" He asked her quietly, without removing his eyes from the painting.

River looked just as saddened as him, much to Amy's bewilderment. "I'm afraid so Doctor."

"What?" Amy demanded, darting her gaze between the painting and them. "What's going on?"

"Vincent has drawn a painting of my TARDIS exploding." The Doctor told her softly, releasing her hand and approaching the painting. Raising his hand slowly, he traced the outline of his exploding TARDIS in the air with his index finger. "Of course."

Confused, Amy looked at River, but she wouldn't meet her gaze.

Before she could question either of them, Vincent cried her name, and she immediately knelt on the floor to hold his hand.

"It's okay, I'm here." She whispered to him soothingly, rubbing his back with her other hand. "It's going to be okay Vincent, I promise."

Vincent just continued to wail.

Knowing Amy was distracted by Vincent's distress, the Doctor beckoned River over with his hand, and she quickly joined him at the painting.

"The cracks in time." He whispered, ensuring his voice was quiet so that Amy couldn't hear him. "They're caused by a colossal explosion, and what else could cause that except for my TARDIS?"

River nodded grimly. "Exactly. That's why I called you. The TARDIS isn't safe."

Frowning slightly, the Doctor turned away from the painting and looked over at his wife. "Amy, we're just going to check on the TARDIS. Do you want to—"

He didn't even need to finish his sentence; he knew Amy would go with him. "Yes." She said instantly, rising to her feet.

However, the moment she stepped away from Vincent, he reached out with his hands and latched onto her leg. "Amy…no!" He rasped, his voice hoarse from his cries. "Don't leave me!"

Amy shot the Doctor an apologetic look, and she resumed her position on the floor. "Of course I won't Vincent. I'll stay right here, okay?"

Vincent only looked relieved for a moment, before his illness claimed him once more, and he began to sob again.

Not wanting to upset Vincent, Amy decided to speak to the Doctor through her mind. _Hurry back. I can't deal with him alone._ _He needs you too. _

Nodding, the Doctor crouched down next to her to cup her face in his hands. _I'll only be a few minutes, you know I could never leave you for long._

_Good. _Amy gave him a satisfied smile. _Could you bring me back some toast by the way? I'm starving. _

_Slave driver. _Allowing himself to smile back at her, the Doctor kissed her softly, before rising to his feet. "Come on River, let's go."

After casting one more look at Amy, the Doctor whirled around and headed out of the house, now focused on fixing his TARDIS. River quickly caught up with him, and together, they entered the TARDIS.

They were silent as they descended down the stairs to the space underneath the console, and the Doctor immediately sat down on his swing to examine the security of his TARDIS. He knew it had been altered when Jack had fiddled with it, but that had been harmless; it only allowed him to use a vortex manipulator to pop in whenever he felt like it. The Security should still be intact, and there was no possibility of the TARDIS exploding.

So why had Vincent drawn a painting of it? The Doctor knew well enough that to an extent, there were some historians that believed that Vincent's madness was caused by a prophetic side to his nature. Maybe this was one painting that could come true.

And speaking of the painting…

"River, how did you find about Vincent's painting?" The Doctor demanded, briefly looking at her over the knot of cables he was examining.

River gave a weary sigh, and she sank down on the steps. "Do you remember, at the space base, when I went off to explore the chamber by myself, while you stayed to try to unlock the door?"

"Of course I do, but that doesn't answer my question."

"If you would let me finish—"

"—Sorry."

"I found some papers, that all contained a sketch of a box-like prison: the Pandorica."

The Doctor instantly scoffed. "Fairytale River. It doesn't exist."

River's brow furrowed. "Maybe so, but I took the drawings to be examined at an Art Museum in London, so I could find out the identity of the artist who drew them. And the Art Expert recognised Vincent Van Gogh's drawing style immediately."

Now she had the Doctor's full attention. "So you came to 1890 to confront him?" He guessed, frowning. "And then you saw his painting. Did he say anything to you about the drawings, or anything about the painting?"

"No, he was having a fit when I arrived, and he's still having the same one now. I tried showing him the drawings of the Pandorica, but it made him worse."

The next question the Doctor asked, River wasn't prepared for. "River, why are you here?" The Doctor asked her, setting the knot of cables aside to fix her with a steely glare.

Although she was shocked by his question, she didn't show it. "Because you sent me here, from the future. I can't leave this time period until this situation is resolved. My orders are to help you and Amy in this period of time, and I know just as much about this as you do."

Shaking his head, the Doctor rose abruptly from his swing, and darted up the console room stairs, with River hurriedly following after him. "So, is that it, or do you have anymore questions?" She called after him as they walked through the TARDIS corridors towards the direction of the kitchen.

The Doctor didn't even glance at her over his shoulder as he replied. "Of course I have questions River. I have a lot of questions, but most of them concern the danger my wife is in. And as you're just as clueless about that as I am, I can't ask for answers from you. So no, I have no questions."

River nodded to herself, understanding his predicament, and she sat down at the kitchen table as the Doctor wandered over to the bread cupboard, muttering under his breath about how disgusting bread was and why his wife expected him to make her toast when she could have asked for custard instead.

As she watched him prepare Amy's toast, River suddenly realised that something was wrong. There was something too…easy…about Vincent's painting, about it being the answer to their solution. One thing she had learned about being with Amy and the Doctor was that nothing was resolved quickly. One always had to search for more hypothesis's first.

"Doctor, we're not right about the cracks in time." She whispered through numb lips, feeling her face grow ashen.

"What? The Doctor said distractedly, taking out the toast from the toaster and tossing it onto a plate. "Of course we are."

"No, we only found an answer to a problem, and we took it without questioning a thing. We've taken the easy way out."

"You call my exploding TARDIS forming cracks in time that have wiped my wife's life from existence _easy_?" The Doctor hissed, glaring at River.

"Losing your TARDIS is much easier than losing Amy and your unborn child." River reminded him harshly, and he flinched. "The TARDIS isn't going to explode Doctor. You know just as well as I do that the security your ship has is impenetrable. She's invincible."

The Doctor could only stare at her wordlessly.

~I~

River and the Doctor had been gone for ten minutes, and all Amy had done in those ten minutes was listen to Vincent's chanting and sobbing of the word, 'No', and rub his back rhythmically. She didn't know what else she could do for him.

Suddenly, she felt Vincent's shaking body still, and she began to smile. "See Vincent? I knew you'd feel better eventually. Do you want me to make you some…"

But she trailed off when Vincent sat up, and turned his wild eyes on her. Before she could ask him what was wrong, she felt her ears begin to ring, and she clamped her hands over them. Vincent mirrored her gesture, his face contorted as if he could hear the ringing too.

"Vincent? What is that?" Amy bellowed, as the noise in her ear grew louder. Not even her hands over her heads silenced the ringing.

And then she realised. The sound was in her mind.

"They're coming Amy!" Vincent cried, staggering to his feet. "You need to run! Go!"

Amy managed to pull herself up too, though the noise in her mind was crippling her, blurring her vision. "I…Vincent…"

He latched onto her arm then, and began to haul her towards the door. Amy could only stumble beside him, panicked by what was happening. "Vincent! Vincent, what's going on?"

"They don't want me, they want you!" He yelled, ignoring her completely. Before he could reach for the door handle, he crumpled to the floor, his hand over his eyes.

Amy couldn't comfort him; she had to get them both out of here. Trying her hardest to ignore the pain in her head, she tried to open the door, but it was locked. Panicked, she fumbled for her sonic screwdriver, her movements growing more frantic as the pain in her mind increased.

At last, her fingers pulled her sonic out of her pocket, and she aimed it at the door. But it refused to open.

Suddenly, a bright white light formed behind her, blinding her sight, and she covered her eyes. Desperately, she used the explosive setting on the sonic, hoping to explode the door off, but nothing happened.

And then her hands no longer protected her vision. Her mind was filled with white light, and she felt her body crumple to the floor, joining Vincent with his sobs.

She vaguely heard the whisper of her name before she was dragged into unconsciousness, finally escaping the glare of the white light.

~I~

The Doctor was still speechless, stunned into silence by River's sudden realisation.

"The TARDIS isn't going to explode Doctor." River repeated, rising up from her chair.

"You don't now that." The Doctor whispered, beginning to shake his head, refusing to believe her. "Vincent drew it, and it's been known that he possesses—"

"Think about it Doctor!" River cried, interrupting him. "Think about Vincent's fits! How he reacts so violent, and so fearfully. Remind you of anyone?"

Now the Doctor was trembling, and his state was affecting River. "Amy, Doctor!" She snapped, her anxiety for Amy causing her to lash out. "Vincent behaves the exact same way as Amy does when she sees a crack in time!"

The Doctor visibly flinched, but River wasn't finished. "And he's having a fit, right at this—"

The Doctor's cry of his wife's name interrupted her, and he suddenly bolted out of the kitchen, sprinting through the TARDIS corridors to the console room. River quickly caught up with him, and together, they raced out of the TARDIS, only to be halted in their tracks by the sight outside.

The ground beneath their feet was rumbling so furiously that the tiles on Vincent's cottage roof were smashing to the floor and the windows were cracking, rendering the framework of the house unstable, and unsafe.

But that didn't perturb the Doctor, and he flew into the cottage, throwing open the front door in his haste, sending more rubble to the floor. "Amy!" He cried over the noise, racing towards the closed living room door. To his horror, he could see white light in the gaps between the door and the frame, and he began to shove his weight against the door, trying to open it.

"Move!" River bellowed, knocking the Doctor out of the way as she placed a circular disc on the door. "And stand back!"

The Doctor obeyed, recognising the explosive device, and River activated it, splintering the wooden door enough so that they could kick it down.

But they were too late. The light had vanished, and the rumbling had stopped.

"Amy!" The Doctor yelled, looking around the room frantically.

And then they heard a sob from behind the recliner, and the Doctor raced over to see Vincent curled up on the floor. Instantly, he grabbed the artist by the collar, hauled him to his feet, and pressed him up against the wall. "Where's my wife?" He hissed threateningly, his grip tightening.

"Get off him!" River demanded, but the Doctor paid her no attention.

"Where is she?" He roared, his timeless eyes burning into Vincent's tear-filled gaze.

"They took her!" The artist sobbed, feebly attempting to push the Time Lord away from him. "I couldn't…they wanted her, and—"

The Doctor abruptly released him, and Vincent slid to the floor, his shoulders shaking with sobs. River immediately sank to the floor beside him to comfort him, and the Doctor caught sight of a large crack behind the painting of his exploding TARDIS.

With a loud cry, the Doctor flew at the painting, tearing it down to get to the crack. Without thinking, he aimed his sonic screwdriver and widened the crack, expecting the light to filter out and open a portal to get to his wife.

But all the crack revealed was the room next door. Whatever had been there, whatever had taken Amy, was long gone.

The sonic screwdriver slipped out of the Doctor's trembling hands, and he staggered backwards, horrified that he'd let Amy be taken so easily. Everything that she'd lost, everything that he'd cost her to lose, had meant nothing in his attempts to keep her safe. She had still been taken from him.

Tears were flowing relentlessly down his face now, and he crumpled to the floor, broken.

River found herself blinking back tears at the Doctor's distress, and she hesitantly reached out to comfort him. But he flinched away from her, not wanting her sympathy.

She understood how he felt, and when he rose to his feet moments later and stormed out of the room, she knew he needed to be alone. But she wouldn't let him wallow for long. They had to get ready to save Amy, and she had to prepare herself for when the time came for the Doctor to unleash his fury on the Universe.

_The Oncoming Storm is on his way._

~I~

It could have been minutes, it could have been hours since Amy was taken, but the Doctor didn't care. Time no longer meant anything to him anymore. Nothing meant anything to him anymore.

His wife and his unborn baby had been kidnapped by his greatest enemies. He had no idea if they were both still alive. He'd lost his psychic connection with Amy the moment the crack had closed, losing half of his self in the process.

Now all he felt was sheer pain, and he sat in the console room, drowning in it. Not even reassurances from his TARDIS helped. He was lost, _shattered._

Suddenly his TARDIS hummed, and the Doctor raised his head to see Jack appear in front of him, holding a gift.

"Sorry I took so long, but I was looking for the perfect gift for my godchild." Jack told him, carefully placing the gift on the floor.

At the Doctor's choked sob, Jack looked up, and saw his friend's tearstained face. "Doctor?" He whispered, his face paling. "Doctor, what is it?"

"Amy…she's gone."

Before Jack could react, the Doctor was on his feet, and his fingers were on Jack's temples, showing him all of the events leading up to Amy being kidnapped. The cracks in time, River, Vincent's painting, Amy's family being taken – but the Doctor kept the memories of Alonzo, Rory and Hannah from him, knowing that would endanger his friend.

Once the mind tirade was over, the Doctor collapsed onto the console room chair, his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry," was all Jack could say, his voice hoarse as he began to mourn for his best friend's wife. "I'm so sorry Doctor."

And then silence fell between the two men. More minutes went by, but neither of them moved, both still hurt and horrified by the events that had happened. The Doctor's tears continued to fall, but they stopped abruptly when River suddenly appeared in front of them, and he leapt to his feet, furious.

"How did you get in here?" He demanded, glaring at her. "You don't have permission to use a vortex manipulator to get inside the TARDIS!"

"I don't need permission, I'm family." River told him, pocketing her vortex manipulator. "Now, let's get to work."

Before the Doctor could say anything, Jack turned on River. "Who do you think you are, coming in here when the Doctor is like this? How dare you! You're the reason Amy is missing you conniving bit—"

"Jack, that's enough!" The Doctor snapped. "You can trust River. She's trying to help me."

Both Jack and River looked surprised, but she broke out of it first. "Thank you Doctor. Listen, I thought I should tell you that Vincent is no longer having a fit, which means Amy and the Daleks are long gone."

"Yes, thanks for that." Jack muttered, still unsure of River, especially from what he'd seen of her from the Doctor's memories.

"Our next tactic is obvious, we need as much as help as possible to try and locate them." River continued, ignoring Jack completely. "We need allies, lots of them, so that we can create an army."

"How is an army going to help me get my wife and baby back, unharmed?" The Doctor whispered brokenly, defeated.

"The more allies you have, the more help you have, which includes friends, weapons, and links to other galaxies. And it also means that there are a lesser amount of aliens likely to turn on you and defend the Daleks. Do I need to continue?" River demanded, and the Doctor looked at her for a long moment, before nodding.

"Well then, let's get started!" Jack exclaimed, and the three of them surrounded the console.

As River and Jack began to discuss the best alien colonies to visit first, the Doctor looked up at the scanner, to see an image of him and Amy. It was a photo taken shortly after they'd found out about her pregnancy so his hand was placed over her small bump, and she was looking lovingly up at him while he beamed at the camera.

_I'm coming Amy. _

With new determination, he reached out and yanked the green lever down, whisking the TARDIS off to another part of the Universe.

~I~

A low, thrumming sound awoke Amy from her unconscious state, and she opened her eyes blearily, to find herself lying in a bed.

But it wasn't the usual, TARDIS thrum she was used to, and she wasn't lying in her usual bed. Panicked, she bolted upright to see that she was in a glass-enclosed room. The bed she was in was the only object in the room, and she was the only occupant.

She tried to remember how she got here, but she could only recall glimpses. She remembered being at Vincent's home, before something had arrived, and the Doctor had been nowhere—

_The Doctor._

Panicked, Amy stumbled out of the bed, crying her husband's name as she ran at one of the glass walls, banging on it with her fists.

But the sight she saw outside of her glass cage made her freeze.

Surrounding her prison were vacant rows of seats, though when she squinted, she could just about make out a couple of alien figures sitting there, watching her, as if she was a spectacle.

Stunned, Amy staggered backwards, when she caught sight of her appearance in the reflection from her glass. She was dressed in a baggy, white gown, and her hair had been scraped back into a loose ponytail.

Her panic returning, she flew at the glass again, attempting to shatter it with her fists. "Let me out of here!" She screamed, banging furiously against the glass. "Doctor? Help me!"

Suddenly, she saw movement in the corner of her peripheral vision, and she turned to see a familiar figure walking towards her.

* * *

**Think some of you will guess who the figure is! Teehee. Smart cookies, aren't you?**

**So, now we've reached...well...chapter 60, which is a fucking milestone, who wants to review to get a preview of the next chapter? And hit me with some questions as well. 'Cause I like talking too much :D**

**Jesus, not writing these A/N's while sleep-deprived ever again. Sound like a loony. Ah well, I am an aspiring film-maker. You gotta be creative and kooky for that role!**

**xo**


	61. Chapter 61

**A/N: I am very sorry for not replying to your reviews and giving you a preview of this chapter. But my mother is gravely unwell, and I'm scared for her. Fanfiction and writing is not providing the comfort and relief that it usually does, especially as this story is now dealing with loss, death and absence, all things I am trying not to think about concerning my own life. **

**This chapter is not my best, but I hope you like it all the same! And you all get what you're waiting for...an insight to River ;)**

* * *

_Suddenly, she saw movement in the corner of her peripheral vision, and she turned to see a familiar figure walking towards her. _

"You!" Amy spat, glaring at Antonium as he advanced towards her prison. "I should have known you had something to do with this!"

Antonium, stunned by Amy's outburst, halted in place. "Excuse me?"

"Angry that I stopped you from killing the Doctor?" Amy sneered, furious now. "So you trap me in here to lure him? It won't work, so let me go!"

"Amy, this isn't me." Antonium told her, looking pained. "I don't want to be here, and I don't want to hurt you."

"Like I believe you!" Amy cried, banging her hand on the glass. "Let me out of here!"

"It's true." Antonium said quietly, walking towards her again as he ignored her outburst. "I'm not the person who created all of this. I'm just one of the aliens who's been forced to follow."

Amy's movement stilled. "What are you talking about?"

"Amy, it's all about you. It's always been about you!" Antonium told her, panicked as he stopped in front of her. "Now please—"

What do you mean?" Amy demanded, glaring at him. "What are you talking about?"

Antonium cast a quick glance over his shoulder, and when he turned back to look into Amy's eyes, she could see that he looked even sadder than before. "I don't have time to tell you now, I have to escort you to the surgery." He told her bleakly.

"Surgery?" Amy whispered, and her hands instinctively cupped her small bump protectively. "What surgery?"

At Antonium's silence, she quickly grew frightened. "What are you going to do to me?" She demanded, backing away from the glass.

"Your pregnancy." Antonium stated, and Amy blanched.

"I'm not pregnant." She said quickly, still backing away.

But Antonium shook his head, and then withdrew a small, circular disc that was attached to a chain. He placed the chain around his neck and pressed the disc, before walking forward until he was inside of Amy's prison. "There's no denying it Amy. Every alien in the Universe knows about your Time Lord child. And the Daleks want the baby removed."

"No!" Amy cried, looking around wildly for a weapon she could use against him. "You won't take my baby!"

"Amy, I have no choice." Antonium whispered, looking as anguished as she felt. "Please come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere with you! Leave us al—"

All of a sudden, there was a flash of blue light, and then Amy and Antonium were no longer alone in the prison, as a hoard of different species of alien had appeared. They ranged from Cybermen, to Slitheen, to Daleks.

"Enough!" The White Dalek thundered, and Amy sank to the floor, her arms cradling her abdomen. She already knew that it was over.

Before she had the chance to surrender, her mind was suddenly filled with a now familiar white light, and she screamed as she felt herself being pulled unwillingly into unconsciousness again.

~I~

"I've. Had. ENOUGH!" The Doctor bellowed as he stormed into the TARDIS, River and Jack scurrying in after him. "Why will _no one_ help me? After. Everything. I've. DONE!"

Enraged, he kicked the TARDIS console, though he was too upset for his mind to register the pain, and he ignored his beloved's ships groan. He had every right to be upset. He'd visited over thirty different alien colonies, all consisting of aliens that he'd protected for hundreds of years, and they were refusing to help him track down his wife. He'd also visited other galaxies to try to drum up supporters, but most planets had been destroyed. Whatever had Amy in their clutches was a deadly threat.

Infuriated now, he started to punch and kick at the wall of the console room, unleashing his anger out through violence. As his knuckles began to grow bloody, Jack rushed forward to yank his friend away from the wall, while River watched impassively.

"Doctor, calm down." He commanded, gripping him by the shoulders. "This isn't the answer."

The Doctor turned his wild eyes on him, but relented when he saw his friend's concern. "Okay." He whispered, defeated, and Jack released him. "I just…I just don't know what to do."

"I think you need to relax, and try to contact Amy through your psychic link." Jack told him firmly.

"But I've already tried." The Doctor said bleakly. "She's completely gone from my mind."

"Well try again!" Jack snapped. "Don't give up on her!"

The Doctor's anger immediately returned, and he shoved Jack away from him with all of his might. "How. Dare. You!" He roared, his hands clenching into fists. "I would never, ever give up on her!"

Jack managed to right himself using the TARDIS console, but he didn't react to the Doctor's aggression. "You know what you have to do then."

The Doctor continued to glare at him for several moments, before his face softened. "You're right, I'm sorry." He whispered. Placing his fingers on his temple, he ascended up the console room stairs, and then disappeared from sight.

"We're not much of an army, are we?" Jack remarked, his strong façade weakening as he turned to look at River.

"That's where you're wrong." River murmured, smiling wryly. "The Doctor's had his wife and child taken away from him, which means he is more powerful, and more dangerous than thousands of armies at war. He's about to live up to his name."

Her words were meant to placate Jack, but they had the reverse effect. Now he was worried. "The Oncoming Storm." He whispered, his brow furrowing, and River nodded.

"And the Destroyer of Worlds." She added, and Jack shook his head.

"No River, he isn't that person anymore." He told her firmly, folding his arms over his chest. "He's the Doctor, _the healer_. He's not an evil person, and I won't let him turn into what he used to be."

"I never said that he was evil." River said quietly, looking away from Jack and gazing at the TARDIS console. "You may be his best friend Jack, but you've never seen the full extent of his rage. There are species that tremble with fear at the sound of his name, and you and I both know that -"

"-_I_ know that River!" Jack suddenly snapped, startling her. "I've been with him through _everything._ Where the Hell were you? We don't even know who you are, or why you're here!"

River remained silent, and Jack scoffed, disliking her even more. "You know River, you're a-"

"-I was sent here by the Amy and the Doctor."

Jack froze, stunned that she was finally admitting something about herself. "Excuse me?"

"Not by _this_ Amy and Doctor, but _my _Amy and Doctor. Their future selves. They sent me here, because their timelines depend on it."

"Why? What's going to happen?"

"They didn't tell me, for fear of ruining their past, and their past's future. I don't know any more than that, and that's the truth."

Jack's next question was a surprise. "Are you a threat to him? Or to Amy?"

"No, of course not!" River exclaimed, hurt that he'd think that.

"Liar. The Doctor told me that you killed the greatest man that you ever knew."

"Honestly? I haven't, I swear." When Jack snorted in disbelief, River glared at him. "At least, I haven't..._yet_."

She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts, and Jack didn't interrupt her this time. "I...I have tried to find out what that means." She whispered, and Jack found himself stepping closer to her. "Whenever I ask the Doctor, _my_ Doctor, he just smiles sadly, and tells me, 'Soon. Soon you will understand.' And now, it's time."

"You're going to kill the Doctor." Jack stated quietly.

River's head snapped up, and she looked at him in alarm. "No! Never! He's my _family_! _Amy's_ my family! I could never hurt them Jack!"

Jack gazed at her for a long moment, searching for any signs of deceit, but all he saw was pure sincerity, and honesty. "I believe you." He whispered, and River visibly relaxed. "But have you considered the possibility that you may, unintentionally, lead him to his death in the search for Amy?"

"Of course I have." River sighed, running her hand through her hair. "But I can't think about that Jack. We wouldn't make any progress in the search for Amy if I questioned our every move."

"You're right there."

"So, any more questions?" River asked him, swiftly changing the subject.

"A lot. River, when do we find out who you are?"

River gave him a small smile, and sat down on the console room chair, looking up at Jack as he leaned against the console, his eyes glued to her face. "Soon, I believe. At least, that's what I've been told. You know, my last visit to _my_ Amy and Doctor, you were there, and you kept singing 'I know something you don't know.' Infuriating."

Jack allowed himself to chuckle at that. "Sounds like me."

"And when you find out who I am, I will record it in the diary, and compare notes with you all afterwards." River told him, patting her jacket pocket, where her blue diary resided.

"You show us your diary?" Jack asked in surprise, knowing from seeing the Doctor's thoughts that the book was full of secrets that the Doctor wasn't allowed to know.

"I have to, from the time period I'm from. Amy and the Doctor gave me it shortly after they took me-" She abruptly broke off, not wanting to reveal something she shouldn't, and carried on with another sentence. "You all have a diary where I'm from, and I have to tell you what's in mine because my future is your past. Amy and the Doctor especially need to know about my life, so they know what parts of their timeline I've experienced, and vice versa."

Jack blinked, trying to get his head around it all. "If I thought you were confusing before, I'm completely floored now." He remarked, shaking his head as if to clear it. "I thought the Doctor had a complicated life, but yours trumps it."

River shrugged her shoulders slightly, brushing his comment off. "I have a good life, and I'm happy. What more could I want?"

Jack nodded, before frowning when he suddenly remembered another one of his questions. "River, you say your timeline is tied in with Amy and the Doctor's...what happens if something happens to you?"

River knew instantly what he meant. "My death doesn't frighten me." She told him, her voice firm, yet calm. "If helping Amy and the Doctor means that I have to die to save their past and future, I will die gladly. They're everything to me. Their kids are everything to me."

River's use of the plural didn't go unnoticed by Jack, and he grinned. "Kids? So I'll be godfather to a bunch of them?"

"With the way those two are at it, did you really think that they were just going to have the one?" River asked him in disbelief, which made him laugh.

"So, if you know their future selves, how many are they up to?"

"Nine, and counting. Amy is pregnant with twins - again."

"Eleven kids on the TARDIS? Well, twelve including the Doctor." Jack commented, rolling his eyes at the thought of his goofy friend.

"Oh God no. Most of them have grown up. Amy and the Doctor took a break from playing parents for several years, and then they got broody." River explained, smiling. "You don't want to be around Amy when she's pregnant. You'd think that after nine pregnancies she'd have mellowed out, but nope. She only gets worse."

Jack's face lit up at that. "So we find Amy then. Alive."

"Time can be rewritten." River reminded him sharply, ending their lighter conversation. "That's why I'm here to make sure it isn't. I don't know what I have to do, but I have to protect my family."

"I understand River, or at least, I'm trying to. What I can't figure out is why you _care_ so much. I'm their best friend, and I would do anything for them, but you talk about them so _reverently_, like they're your-"

He suddenly broke off to gasp, his eyes wide as he gazed at River. "I know who you are." He whispered. "You're their daughter. The eldest, I bet."

River met his gaze levelly, but made no attempt to reply.

"Of course you are!" Jack exclaimed, nodding his head eagerly. "You have the Doctor's loyalty and knowledge, and Amy's fiery personality. You don't look like them, but then that's the beauty of regeneration!"

River remained silent, but the corners of her mouth turned up, and Jack laughed in delight.

~I~

_Where am I?_

_Doctor?_

_What the-_

At the sound of a drill, Amy's eyes flew open, only for her to be blinded by the large light above her. She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision, and raised her head. When she saw that she was in a surgery, her memories came flooding back to her.

Panicked, she tried to get up from the cold metal table that she was lying on, but her arms and legs had been clamped down. She was stuck.

"Let me go!" She screamed to the alien surgeons that were fast approaching her, struggling in her restraints. "Don't hurt my baby! Please! Please don't hurt-"

"Silence!" Someone hissed, and they covered Amy's mouth.

But Amy wouldn't be silenced, and she bit down on the hand smothering her. The alien yelped and backed away, and Amy began to scream again.

"Doctor! Doctor please! Please Doctor, help us!"

"Your Doctor can't hear you." One of the surgeons whispered, it's serpent eyes gleaming in delight. "Now hush!"

And then Amy saw the metal scalpel it was holding.

"No!" She screamed, thrashing so wildly that the metal around her wrists and ankles began to cut into her skin.

Suddenly her mind was rendered blank, and she felt herself being pulled under, surrendering to the white light that had consumed her soul.

* * *

**So, are you satisfied with River's identity? Or do you think Jack's got it wrong? Let me know ;) You know how much I love it when you're intrigued...and confused... ;)**

**Hayley xo**


	62. Chapter 62

**A/N: Most of you loved the fact that Jack had 'seemingly' guessed River's identity. But remember the rules, my beloved readers. One: The Doctor lies. Two: River lies. And number three, the most important rule of all: the author lies. Mwahahaha.**

**Thanks for your comments revolving my Mum. We're doing okay now; we're just waiting on her test results. An anxious time, but we're trying to be positive.**

**Now, on with the show!**

* * *

Opening her eyes, Amy immediately knew that something was wrong.

She could feel pressure on her hand, and knew that someone was holding it. And it definitely wasn't the Doctor beside her, she'd memorised the shape and feel of his hands, so it could only be one other person. Glancing up, she saw that her guess was correct - and that they were asleep.

And then she saw her protruding baby bump, bigger than what it was before she was dragged to the surgery.

Her first reaction was to scream, but that wouldn't give her any justice. So, as quietly as she could, she reached out for the plate of food on the table beside her bed with her free hand. Balancing it carefully, she sat up slowly, and then smashed the plate into Antonium's face, feeling some kind of gratification when he cried out in pain.

She took advantage of his surprise, and leapt up from the bed, backing away as she held up a sharp shard of china as a weapon. "What have you done to me?" She cried. "What have you done to my baby?"

Antonium blinked, and wiped the food off of his face, unhurt, much to Amy's chagrin. "Amy please, calm down!" He reached out to her, but she swiped at the air dangerously with her weapon, and he backed off, holding his hands up in surrender. "Amy please, this behaviour isn't good for your daughter!"

Amy froze. "Excuse me?"

"You're having a girl Amy, and-"

"I don't trust you!" Amy hissed, pointing her porcelain shard at him. "What have they done to me?"

"They tried to accelerate your pregnancy, but they were only able to grow the foetus to five months until the time energy in both your blood and the baby's blew the ship's power out. Thank the Universe for back-up generators." Antonium told her, leaving Amy stunned.

She couldn't speak, or even move, so Antonium took a hesitant step towards her. "You alright?"

Amy immediately snapped out of it at his question. "_Alright_?" She cried, threatening him with her weapon again. "I'm five months pregnant when I'm supposed to be two! I'm imprisoned on a space ship with my husband's enemies, and I'm in a lot of pain! Why am I here? What do you want from me?"

"Amy, I'll tell you as much as I can, as long as you calm down!" Antonium pleaded, and Amy glared furiously at him.

"Fine, but you stay a good distance away from me." She told him sharply, and Antonium quickly took a few more steps backwards. "Now spill it alien boy! Why the hell am I here?"

"Ever heard of the Pandorica?"

At the mention of the familiar word, Amy felt her face pale. "I've heard it mentioned here or there." She whispered through numb lips, knowing a small bit about the legend - the Doctor had told her that the unbreakable prison held a powerful being inside of it, but he had never told her the full story.

"It isn't real." Antonium continued, and Amy found the strength to roll her eyes.

"I know that!" She snapped. "The Doctor told me it was a fairytale!"

"A fairytale...that was invented by the Daleks."

"Why would they..." Amy trailed off, feeling her earlier horror returning, and her eyes filled with tears. "No...don't tell me-"

Antonium nodded hesitantly, knowing what she was thinking. "The Daleks planted the legend of the Pandorica throughout history, with the help of their allies. And all of this, was to trick the Doctor."

He paused then, gazing at Amy warily to gauge her reaction, but she waved impatiently for him to continue, needing to hear the truth.

"There was a reason for why the Doctor crash-landed in your garden when you were seven years old, Amy." Antonium told her bleakly. "There was a reason for the crack in your bedroom wall, and there was a reason for every single crack in time you've seen since then. How else was the Doctor going to maintain an interest in you? He never settled down with anyone, until the Daleks weaved a story, and entangled you both in it. Of course he was going to fall in love with you - the red-headed, Scottish girl shrouded in mystery. How could he resist?"

If Amy hadn't been propping herself up against the wall of her prison, she would have collapsed, knowing that her relationship with the Doctor hadn't been fate - it had been manipulated all along. Tears began to stream down her face at the betrayal, and Antonium was quick to surge forward with a handkerchief, but Amy held up her hand in warning, causing him to back off.

"Continue." She whispered hoarsely, knowing that there was more to be said.

"And then when the Daleks were sure that the Pandorica was built to perfection, they used their psychic link with the Vincent to manipulate him to paint an image of the Doctor's TARDIS exploding, knowing that the Doctor would eventually see it and go to visit him. And the Daleks were waiting, for the both of you."

"And then they kidnapped me." Amy finished for him, wiping away at the relentless flood of tears that were streaming down her cheeks. "So what are they going to do to me? Do I still have a part to play in this _sick_, evil scheme?"

"You're the lure Amy, you're the Doctor's bait. He wouldn't come here if he thought you were dead. And when he does, the Pandorica will be ready, and he will be imprisoned. For eternity." Antonium told her quietly, and Amy closed her eyes.

"What will they do to my daughter?" She whispered, although she wasn't certain that she could bear to know.

"Although the Daleks and their army were startled at first, as your pregnancy was an unforeseen consequence, they've found a use for your daughter. She will be used as a weapon against the Doctor."

Opening her eyes, Amy met Antonium's gaze evenly. "Take me to my husband Antonium. Now."

Antonium blinked, bewildered. "Amy, you know that I can't do that. All I can do is be your only ally amongst the army."

"I don't want your help!" Amy cried, her anger returning. "And I certainly-"

But she broke off when she suddenly felt her daughter kick for the first time. Her eyes widening, her hands immediately rested on her bump, where she felt her kick again. "Oh my God." She whispered, her eyes filling with tears again - happy tears.

"She's kicking?" Antonium asked, smiling at Amy in delight, as if their sad conversation had never happened. "Can I-"

"No" Amy snapped, cradling her bump protectively. "Don't come anywhere near me! In fact, I want you to leave, right now!"

Bowing his head, Antonium took out his transportation device, and hastily used it to get out of the prison, leaving Amy alone.

She knew that she shouldn't have unleashed her anger on him, knowing that he wasn't to blame, but he was the only one _there_ that she could unleash her frustration on. Now she was angry that the Doctor couldn't experience their first child's first signs of movement together, and Antonium and the Dalek Army were to blame for that.

"It's okay sweetie." Amy murmured, rubbing her abdomen tenderly. "If there's one thing that I know about your father, it's that he's the most intelligent being in the Universe, so he _will_ find a way to get us home to him. I promise you. He always comes back. Takes him a while sometimes, but he'll be here. For the both of us."

~I~

After another unsuccessful attempt at trying to reach Amy in his mind, the Doctor had ended up in the console room, slumped against the console as he stared down at his sonic screwdriver that was fisted tightly in his hand. He didn't realise that he wasn't alone until he felt River sit down on the floor beside him, mirroring his position.

"Any reason for why you're holding that?" She asked him quietly, gesturing to his sonic screwdriver.

"It's the only way Amy can contact me. Her sonic, if used, activates the signal on this one."

River frowned, concerned immediately. "Doctor, I suggest you ignore it if it goes off."

The Doctor shot her a bewildered glare. "What? Why would I do that?"

"It could be a trap."

"No. Amy's the only one who can activate the sonic signal. Anyone can use the Sonic, but she's the only one who can connect her Sonic to mine."

River nodded, and then they both sat in silence for a few moments.

"So, there must have been a reason for why you came to find me." The Doctor said eventually, breaking the awkward tension.

"There was. Look, I think you should get some rest." River told him gently, unsurprised when the Doctor shook his head.

"Can't sleep."

But River wouldn't give in. "Okay, fair enough. Just try to eat something then."

"Can't eat."

River's eyes narrowed. "Doctor-"

"-No River!" The Doctor snapped, and River rolled her eyes. "Time Lords don't need a substantial amount of food and sleep to keep going. I can last for a few more days."

"Your stubbornness never changes." River muttered, and then she sighed. "I'm just worried about you, that's all."

"You don't need to worry about me. I'm fine."

His dull eyes, unshaven face, shaggy hair, and unkempt clothing were a complete contradiction to his words. "You're anything but fine." River stated, reaching out and brushing his hair off of his forehead.

For once, the Doctor didn't explode with anger at her remark, or push her hand away. "What do you expect me to be, River?" He asked her softly, finally meeting her gaze. "Are you forgetting that my Universe has been taken away from me?"

River didn't answer. Instead, she gazed back at him, deliberating something, before reaching into her jacket pocket. "Here, I think you should see this."

The item she gave to him brought a brilliant smile to the Doctor's face, for the first time since Amy had been kidnapped.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" River murmured, smiling down at the photograph in the Doctor's hands.

"Both of them are." The Doctor whispered, his eyes transfixed on the image of a little girl, and a woman standing in the distance behind her. The girl looked between the age of two and three, and she was toddling towards the person holding the camera, her small arms outstretched and a bright smile on her face.

The Doctor didn't even need to question who this child was, recognising the colour of Amy's hair and his own grey eyes looking back at him. She was perfect. And she was his.

"She doesn't smile at anyone like that, except for you and Amy." River said quietly, and the Doctor felt his eyes fill with tears, knowing that he was the one that would take this photo, and be the reason for why his daughter looked so happy.

"Where did you get this?"

"You gave it to me, with the message that I'll need this one day."

Still smiling, the Doctor's fingers lightly traced over his wife's image. "So, Amy and my daughter...they'll be-"

"-That's why I'm here Doctor. To preserve your future, and protect your past." River whispered, placing one of her hands over his.

His smile fading, the Doctor drew his gaze away from the photo to look at her. "River, I caught the end of your conversation with Jack, when I walked past the console room." He said suddenly, and River's eyes widened. "Why are you letting him believe that you're my daughter?"

Withdrawing her hand, River sighed, and looked away from him. "What makes you so sure that I'm not?" She asked him flatly, and the Doctor couldn't help but smile wryly.

"I'd know if you were my flesh and blood." The Doctor said firmly. "Besides, the TARDIS told me that you have no Time Lord DNA, making it impossible for you and I to be related."

"Blood is not the only factor that makes two beings family." River said hotly, her gaze finally meeting his, and the Doctor knew that he'd hurt her feelings. He didn't understand how he'd upset her, only the future would tell him that, so he took her hand and whispered, "Sorry."

"It's fine." She said quickly, squeezing his hand before releasing it. "So, will you let me cook you something now?"

The Doctor nodded, and then they both rose to their feet to begin their walk to the kitchen, the photograph still clutched tightly in the Doctor's hand.

When they walked in, they saw Jack standing by the oven, and he ushered them towards the dining table the moment he saw them. "Sit! Sit! Dinner's nearly ready!"

Amused, the Doctor met River's gaze, and she rolled her eyes. "I think we should be worried if Jack's cooking for us." She remarked, and the Doctor laughed as he tucked the photograph away in his tweed jacket.

"Oh hush you." Jack said with a chuckle, opening the oven to take out a casserole dish. "I'll have you know that I'm renowned for my cooking."

"For poisoning hundreds of alien species." River quipped as she took a seat beside the Doctor's, and Jack glared at her over his shoulder.

"Do you want dinner, or would you rather starve?"

"I never turn down free food."

Grumbling under his breath, Jack placed a plate of stew and dumplings in front of River, and a bowl of fish fingers and custard in front of the Doctor. While River grinned and thanked Jack, the Doctor stared down at his bowl, before pushing it away from him, shocking both Jack and River.

"Didn't I cook it right?" Jack asked him, and the Doctor shook his head slightly.

"No, it's not that. I'm just...it's something I normally eat...because it's Amy...and..."

He didn't even need to finish because Jack had already taken the bowl away and emptied it, quickly replacing it with a plate of stew.

The Doctor gave him a grateful smile, and then the three of them began their meal in silence, until River spoke up a few minutes later.

"So, what next?"

She didn't even need to say that she was referring to the next stage in their rescue plan to get Amy back, as Jack and the Doctor understood what she meant immediately.

"We're going to the Planet of the Philians." The Doctor told her. "I've met them before, on an island that I went to with Amy, and they told me that they were preparing for a War, and that I should too. I think this is what they were talking about."

"So you're going to force them to aid us?" River asked, and the Doctor nodded.

"And if that doesn't work?" Jack questioned, frowning slightly.

"They suffer the usual consequences." The Doctor said coolly, and River shook her head in agreement.

His cold, nonchalant attitude frightened Jack instantly. "You're going to kill them?"

"No. Just blow up their colony building."

"Oh yes, because that's _so_ much better." Jack said dryly, and the Doctor slammed his cutlery down on the table.

"Coming from the man who shot my wife in cold blood because you mistook her for a Fryicilax." He hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"That's me, that's not you." Jack reminded him sharply, before glancing over at River, expecting her to say something, but she was staying dutifully quiet.

"Jack, are you forgetting who I used to be? That's still me." The Doctor demanded, and now it was Jack's cutlery that clattered to the table.

"No!" Jack snapped. "Rose-" No one missed the way the Doctor flinched at the mention of her name "-and Amy changed you for the better, and what you're doing is a disgrace to them!"

His cutting words stung the Doctor, but he refused to let it show, and his grey eyes hardened. "How am I supposed to get Amy back by doing nothing? What do you suggest I do? Have a cup of tea with the Philians and politely ask them to join us? You know just as well as I do that. won't. work!"

As the two men began to rise out of their seats, River stood up and placed her hands firmly on their shoulders. "Calm down, the both of you! Arguing like this isn't helping anyone. Now apologise to each other."

Mortified, the Doctor's face paled, stunned that he'd just lashed out at his best friend - again. "Sorry Jack...I'm just-"

"-I know." Jack said quickly, as ashamed as him. "I'm sorry too."

Satisfied, River released them, and the three of them sat down again. "Let's eat quickly, and then travel to the Philian Planet, okay?"

When both men nodded their agreement without complaint, River smiled in relief.

~I~

Amy could have been in her chamber for hours, or days, or even weeks since Antonium left. She had no track of time anymore. All she could do was sleep, eat, and stare at the world outside the glass walls of her cage.

So when a bustle of aliens came in, all babbling excitedly about something, it piqued her interest immediately. Rising from her bed, she walked over to the wall, her hand rubbing her baby bump to soothe her kicking daughter.

She saw Antonium amidst the crowd, and quickly waved him over, knowing he'd tell her what was happening.

When Antonium saw her gesturing to him, he hurried over, but remained outside of the prison.

"What's going on? Why is everyone in here?"

"Everyone's waiting for the Doctor." He told her gravely, and Amy's pale face lit up with hope.

"He's coming?"

Antonium gave her a sad look, and Amy's smile faded instantly. "No Amy." He whispered. "The Doctor can't trace our location, but we are able to track him. He's on his way to the Planet of Philians, and the Philian leader has set up a camera feed so the army can determine if the next stage in their plan is ready to be completed."

"So everyone's come in here to watch it?" Amy guessed, glaring out at the surrounding aliens. "Like they're watching a film at the cinema? How can they do this? This is my _life_!"

Antonium bowed his head guiltily, but before he could say something, Amy continued. "Antonium, _please_. You have to get me out of here, and take me to the Doctor. This isn't right!"

Antonium began to shake his head, but Amy wouldn't give up. "Or just...get in contact with him or something. Warn him. _Please_."

"Amy, they'll kill me, and they'll kill your daughter if I even _thought_ about defying them." Antonium said bleakly, and Amy's face crumpled. "And speaking of which...I don't know how to tell you this...but...the Daleks have managed to conserve enough energy to accelerate your pregnancy. Another couple of months, I think."

Before Amy could collapse, Antonium quickly activated his device to dart into the chamber and catch her in his arms. "Amy, I'm sorry." He murmured, carrying her over to her bed.

Once Amy was laying down, she rolled over to her side, and began to sob into her pillow. Antonium could only hover uncomfortably above her, knowing she'd only hit him if he tried to touch her.

But at the sounds of loud cheering, Amy bolted upright, and before Antonium could stop her, she'd flown at the glass, banging at it with her fists. "You should be ashamed of yourselves!" She cried, catching the attention of some of the alien spectators. "The Doctor has done nothing but _save_ you, time and time again! You'll pay for this! I promise you that you'll pay!"

Before she could scream herself hoarse, Antonium placed his hand over her mouth, and she glared furiously at him. "Calm down, this isn't healthy for your daughter." He reminded her quietly, and her glare faded.

Once Antonium had removed his hand, Amy sighed, and turned her gaze away to the blank screen that was descending from the ceiling. "You're right. But...I can't just..." Breaking off, she shook her head, and scrubbed the tears off of her face. "I bet you agree with them. What they're doing to the Doctor, I mean."

"I wouldn't say that." Antonium whispered, and Amy blinked, surprised.

She couldn't even question him before he announced, "And now it begins," as the screen flickered to life.

* * *

**Finished this chapter at about 3am last night, so apologies for any grammar/spelling mistakes that you may find :)**

**Hayley xo**


	63. Chapter 63

**A/N: Hey everyone, I'm sorry that it's been a while - again. You'll be happy to know that my mother is absolutely fine, as her test results came back without anything bad on them. Unfortunately...mine may not. But I will cross that bridge when I get to it. **

**Apart from life being life, I literally had no motivation to write Amy/11 fanfiction. I couldn't even find inspiration for making an Amy/11 video for my Youtube channel. But when the new S7 filming pictures came out, BOOM. A flood of inspiration. Also, I read some really good Amy/11 fics that simply do not have enough reviews (see my favourites list for the stories), and they helped me too.**

**You know, I think the Amy/11 fanfics are dying out. Which is sad :( We gotta keep the faith people! I mean, after this story ends, I have more Amy/11 fics planned. Some one-shots, some full-length feature stories, some rated 'T', some rated 'M'. I'm considering writing up brief synopsis' on my profile page for each story to get you readers intrigued :D But I don't know if I will do that, just in case someone steals my ideas. What do you think?**

**Anyways. Ready for an explosive journey? I am :D**

* * *

The first thing Amy saw onscreen was a large group of Philians in a space base, that looked no different from the one she was in. There was a staircase at the back of the room, that led up to a set of double doors, and at the sound of movement behind them, the Philians began to buzz excitedly, until one of them barked a sharp command, halting their noise.

Suddenly, the doors exploded, sending debris flying in all directions, but the Philians didn't make a sound, as if they were expecting the destruction.

And then a figure stepped out of the cloud of smoke, flanked by two others. Amy knew who they were immediately, and she couldn't help but feel relief and some kind of joy when she saw the Doctor with River and Jack.

But then she _really_ looked at her husband, and was stunned by the state he was in. His usually smiling face was set into hard lines, and his eyes were cold; _dead_.

The Philian that had quietened the others stepped out of the crowd, and looked up at him. "Doctor." It said coolly. "I knew we'd see each other again. Welcome."

"Stop with the pleasantries, I'm not in the mood." The Doctor replied sharply, and Amy watched as Jack placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Easy." Jack whispered, and the Doctor held up his hand, silencing him.

"You should have heard by now about my predicament." The Doctor began, glaring down at the Philian leader.

The Philian cocked it's head to the side. "I don't think I have."

"Don't play games with me." The Doctor hissed, beginning to advance down the stairs, River and Jack quickly following him. "Everyone knows by now that my wife has been kidnapped. And you may or may not have something to do with it - I don't care. All I care about is getting her back, and you're going to help me. All of you."

When the Philian made no move to reply, the Doctor walked up to it, staring it down. "You told me, the last time I saw you in the underwater base, to be ready, because there was a war coming." He reminded it coldly. "Now, I'm going to ask you which side of the war you're on. I'd be careful when you respond, as there could be consequences."

The Philian looked unfazed by the danger the Doctor possessed, and met his gaze levelly. "Are you threatening me Doctor?"

"Answer my question!" The Doctor barked, and Amy couldn't help but tear up again, knowing he was masking his devastation with fury. And it broke her heart.

"You didn't ask me anything." The Philian said, and some of the other Philians began to titter, until the Doctor's next words silenced them.

"Don't. Test. Me!" He roared, and many of the Philians backed away. Some were even trembling.

"Then my answer is this Doctor. We are not on your side." The Philian stated, and the Doctor nodded curtly, already expecting the answer, and he turned around, preparing to walk away.

"Jack, River, we're done here."

But the Philian leader wasn't finished. "I heard Amy's five months pregnant now. You must be so proud."

Amy's sharp intake of breath was not the only one to be heard. Both Jack and River froze, and the aliens watching the screen waited with bated breath for the Doctor's reaction.

Slowly, the Doctor turned around, his grey eyes gleaming with hatred. Before he could react, the Philian leader continued.

"Wonderful idea, pregnancy acceleration. Who knows? Maybe the Daleks will be Godparents this time tomorrow."

Amy's hands flew to her stomach protectively, and Antonium winced. "Oh no." He murmured, and Amy could only watch in horror as the Doctor withdrew his sonic screwdriver and aimed it directly at the Philian leader's face.

"Doctor, no!" Jack bellowed, lurching forward, at the same time the Philians gave a war cry and charged forward.

And then the screen went black.

"No!" Amy screamed, but her cry was lost in the sea of raised voices coming from the watching aliens, demanding to know what had just happened.

"Amy, the Doctor will be okay." Antonium said reassuringly, but at Amy's glare, he decided against trying to comfort her.

So they waited in silence for the screen to come back on, Amy trembling in anticipation.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the screen flickered to life, and many of the aliens screamed when they saw the Doctor's face glaring down at them.

"Don't think I can't see you all watching this, because I can!" He thundered, and some of the aliens turned and bolted out of the room in fear. "Do you think you're going to get away with this? I'm coming for my wife, and it's best if you remove yourselves from my way, _now_."

Suddenly, both River and Jack appeared beside the Doctor, and Jack murmured, "They're dead, Doctor. Except for the leader, who vanished before I could get him."

The Doctor nodded at him, and then turned back to face the screen. And to Amy's surprise - and happiness, his eyes landed on her. "Amy, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything." He whispered, and everyone in the chamber turned to look at her.

But Amy ignored them, and gave the Doctor a small smile, knowing that the Doctor couldn't hear them from his side.

"Hold on, I'm coming for you, I swear. Whatever happens, however hard, however far, I will find you." He promised her, his face softening. "I love you Amelia Pond."

"I love you too." She mouthed, her earlier tears returning - this time, they were tears of joy, knowing that he was fine, and on his way, even though she knew he was walking straight into the Dalek's trap. But seeing him so powerful, and so strong...it soothed her. The Doctor was too intelligent for his enemies, and Amy believed that it would be near to impossible for the Doctor to be captured by them and imprisoned in the Pandorica. So now, for the first time, she was hopeful for their future.

"Stay strong. The both of you." The Doctor whispered, his arm outstretched towards her. Amy placed one hand on her bump, and stretched her other arm out towards him too.

Closing his eyes, as if willing himself to do it, the Doctor raised his other arm, the one grasping his sonic screwdriver, and severed the connection between them.

When the screen went blank for a second time, the remaining aliens started an uproar again, and they sounded panicked from what Amy could make out from their jumbled words.

"Can you see why, Amy? Why these aliens want the Doctor dead?" Antonium asked her. "Look at him, look at the threat he possesses. He's the deadliest being in the Universe."

Antonium wasn't surprised when Amy cast her death glare on him again. "He isn't evil!" She snapped, fiercely protective of her husband. "He's just a desperate man searching for his kidnapped, pregnant wife. That's enough to push anyone to the brink."

Antonium seemed to think over her response, before giving her a small nod. "You might be right." He said thoughtfully, and Amy's eyes widened, unable to hide her surprise.

Before she could remark upon it, the Daleks teleported into the chamber, along with the Philian leader that had escaped from the Doctor's clutches.

"Who are the Doctor's companions?" The white Dalek demanded. "Exterminate them!"

"You can't." Antonium answered from inside of Amy's prison chamber, and all of the aliens turned to look at him. "They're two of the most important beings in the Universe, and one of them is invincible."

"They are a threat! They must be exterminated!" The Dalek insisted, and the Philian leader rolled his eyes.

"Why?" He asked, his tone bored. "The Doctor only has two allies now, because the others were taken. So let him keep his current company, as we outnumber them by thousands anyway."

"Others?" Amy murmured to Antonium. "What others?"

Antonium gazed at her for a moment, but then shook his head. "That doesn't matter right now. I'm sorry Amy, but it's time."

Without giving Amy a chance to react, Antonium injected something into her arm, and she passed out into his arms.

~I~

On their walk back to the TARDIS from the Philian space base, the Doctor, River and Jack hadn't spoken one word to each other, lost in their own thoughts. As the Doctor was ahead of them, Jack decided to break the tension, so he turned to River, who was walking beside him, and murmured, "Well, that went well."

But the Doctor heard him, and spun around, and both River and Jack were shocked to see him grinning. "Better than you think." He remarked, waving his sonic screwdriver at them.

"Why the smile?" Jack asked him in bewilderment, and the Doctor's smile widened.

"When I sonicked the screen, I got a reading of where the feed was transmitting to." The Doctor told them, and both Jack and River began to smile.

"So you know where Amy is?" River asked him, relieved.

"Not quite, but I know the ship she's on is stationed somewhere in the Earth's atmosphere, positioned over England. I don't know which time era, but it's a start."

"So Amy could be on a spaceship in 1921, or 1673, or 2456, in April, or December, or June." Jack said dryly. "Great."

"It's still a lead, Jack." River said, frowning at him. "Don't take away what little hope he has left."

"Still here you know." The Doctor reminded them, rolling his eyes as they finally arrived at the TARDIS. "Anyway, I'm going to go through the Earth's journals, see if there was any strange activity in the skies. Someone must have noticed a giant spaceship and jotted it's location down somewhere." Then he paused, and tossed his sonic screwdriver to River. "Keep an eye on my sonic while Jack and I research, okay?" At River's nod, the Doctor smiled at her in thanks.

Whistling now, the Doctor strolled into his ship, River and Jack exchanging amused glances as they followed him inside.

~I~

When Amy finally awakened, she saw Antonium hovering above her, looking down at her worriedly.

"How far along this time?" Amy asked him quietly, without breaking eye-contact with him.

"Eight and a half months." He whispered, and Amy closed her eyes again. "They couldn't accelerate the pregnancy any further than that."

That brought Amy some relief, as that gave the Doctor two weeks to find her until she gave birth to their daughter. Maybe...just maybe...he would find her in time for them to witness the birth of their first child, _together._

"Amy, please don't go back to sleep again. We need to go." Antonium said, and Amy's eyes flew open.

"Go where? Are you taking me to the Doctor?" She asked him eagerly, but her hope diminished when Antonium shook his head.

"No. We've been summoned to the control room of this ship."

"I'm not going." Amy said stubbornly, struggling to sit up, until Antonium gently helped her into a sitting position.

"Amy, you know what they can do."

Amy didn't miss the warning in Antonium's tine. "Fine." She muttered, placing her feet on the floor.

But as she stood up, she fell back down immediately, her body too weak to support her. "Antonium, why do I feel so tired?" She whispered vulnerably, feeling exhausted by that one simple movement.

"The time energy in your blood is almost used up, as it was consumed mostly by your daughter when her growth was accelerated." Antonium told her quietly, his eyes downcast. "Here, I've got a wheelchair for you."

"I'm not an invalid!" Amy reminded him sharply, attempting to stand up again. This time, she could stand, but when she went to take a step forward, she faltered, and Antonium quickly caught her in his arms.

"Put your weight on me." He told her, and she leaned on him as he guided her over to the wheelchair, grateful for his help - for once.

Once she was sitting comfortably, she gripped the wheelchair arm with one hand and placed her other hand over her restless daughter, who had just started to move.

As she began to rub her abdomen through the white material of her shirt, her daughter's movements relaxed, and Amy kept that motion up during their journey to the control room.

After Antonium had typed in the code to get through the door, he wheeled her in, and both of them frowned when they realised the room was empty.

"Huh. Maybe we're early." He mused, but Amy wasn't listening, as she'd just spotted something on the central table.

"Antonium, take me over there." She pointed to her destination, and Antonium quickly obliged.

"I can't believe it's here." She whispered, reaching forward and picking up her sonic screwdriver, that had been lying on the table. "Hello you, I've missed you. Hmm, I wonder if you still work."

Looking around the room for something to sonic, her eyes landed on a set of double doors, and she aimed her screwdriver at them, laughing in relief when the doors opened. "You've still got it." She said fondly, pressing the gold button again to open up the doors that Antonium had just wheeled them through.

But her enjoyment didn't last long, for the white Dalek suddenly teleported into the room, and she quickly pocketed her sonic.

"The Doctor is on his way, thanks to you!" It announced, and Amy's face paled.

"What?" She demanded, looking in bewilderment at Antonium. "What did I do?"

Antonium couldn't answer her as he didn't understand either, until his eyes fell on the sonic poking out of Amy pocket. "Amy, I think you just alerted the Doctor to where you are, using your sonic." Antonium whispered, his eyes wide in horror. "This was a trap...for you."

"The Pandorica is in place, the trap for the Doctor is ready!" The Dalek boomed, and Amy began to shake her head rhythmically.

"No, the Doctor won't be imprisoned in that thing! He's too smart for that!" She snapped, her faith in the Doctor never wavering.

"Amy, when it comes to his love for you, the Doctor is blind." Antonium said bleakly, but his words didn't diminish Amy's hope.

"No! The Doctor will realise the truth! He won't be fooled!" She insisted, her hazel eyes burning with determination. "You'll see!"

~I~

Jack and the Doctor had been researching for a couple of hours now, and River had offered to help, but the Doctor had told her that he needed someone to watch his sonic.

She was flattered that he finally seemed to trust her enough to look after his sonic, knowing that it had the potential to unite him with Amy, but she was bored of staring at it.

Sighing, she looked down at her blue diary, that was still closed on her lap. She'd contemplated reading it, but reading about her past with Amy and the Doctor would only upset her and she couldn't afford to be weighed down with emotion while searching for Amy. Emotion made everything dangerous.

After pocketing her blue diary, she glanced at the sonic that was resting on the console, only to reel back in shock when she saw that it was glowing.

"Doctor!" She bellowed, knowing that he could hear her from where he was. "Doctor, it's Amy! Your sonic has found her!"

Suddenly there was a loud crash, followed by two sets of hurried footsteps, and Jack and the Doctor appeared at the top of the console room stairs.

"You're certain?" The Doctor demanded, rushing down the stairs and scooping up his sonic, wanting to cry with relief when he saw that River was right.

Immediately, he plugged the sonic into the console, and yanked the scanner towards him, where the co-ordinates of where Amy's sonic signal had transmitted from had appeared. Both Jack and River joined him, and all three of them were surprised to see the Roman co-ordinates on the screen.

"A Roman campsite, by the looks of it." River murmured. "Interesting. So the ship must be above it then."

"Close enough for me." The Doctor remarked, already typing in the co-ordinates for the TARDIS to fly to.

But Jack's hand on his stilled his movement. "Doctor, this has to be a trap." He told him worriedly. "I don't think we should just-"

But the Doctor was quick to interrupt him. "Jack, only Amy can activate my sonic's signal when she uses hers. Yes, it might be a trap. But Amy is _there_. So I'm going to find her. Okay? None of the universe matters if I don't get her back. She's _everything_ to me."

Jack eventually nodded, and he released the Doctor to let him resume the task of piloting the TARDIS to Amy's destination.

"I'm coming Amy." The Doctor whispered, smiling as he yanked the green lever down.

* * *

**Ooh-er. The story is really building up now!**

**Please review; let me know you're alive? I miss you guys. Mwah!**

**Hales xo**


	64. Chapter 64

**A/N: Hello beautiful people! I come bearing good news; I got the all-clear from the Hospital and I've just finished my University year! And with four months off, expect regular updates to this story and a few other random Amy/Doctor stories ;)**

**Hope you're all well! Have to say, this weather is amazing. Really makes me feel inspired :D**

**This chapter is action-packed, and it's an important one, so read carefully! :)**

* * *

The moment the TARDIS had landed, the Doctor shot off with River and Jack flanking him, and he charged straight into the Roman camp, bellowing Amy's name.

Unfortunately, he'd forgotten that they weren't alone in the camp, and soon they were surrounded by a group of Romans, their spears pressed up against their necks.

Fortunately, River swooped in to save the day by grabbing the shoulders of the Roman leader and yanking him towards her to kiss him. Dazed, the leader staggered backwards, and quickly announced that the three of them were royalty and that they had the permission to walk around the camp freely.

Once the Romans had left them alone, the Doctor gave River an admiring smile. "Good trick you did there. What is that, mind control lipstick or something?"

"Pretty much." River replied, reapplying the lipstick. "Amy gave it to me a couple of years ago."

The Doctor's eyes instantly narrowed. "And where did she get that from?" He demanded, knowing that his future self wouldn't buy his wife a tool that involved her having to kiss other men.

"Jack bought it for her."

Jack nodded his head, knowing that it was the kind of gift that he liked to buy his friends, and the Doctor sighed. "Of course he did."

"You made Amy give it to me when you yelled, and I quote, 'I don't want you ever touching your lips to any other's man's, apart from mine!'" River told him, pocketing the lipstick. "You can get very jealous...it amuses me greatly."

Rolling his eyes, the Doctor turned away from her, his jealousy issues nowhere near as significant as his search for his wife. "Amy?" He yelled, running ahead again. "Amy?"

After a while, the Doctor's voice grew hoarse, and he stopped running to lean against a tent - forgetting momentarily that they weren't very stable - and one of the tent poles clattered to the floor.

"Careful!" River hissed, quickly putting the pole in place again. "You can't afford to rewrite history!"

"I'll do anything to find Amy." The Doctor muttered, scanning their surroundings, when he suddenly saw a familiar figure walking towards him.

He froze, stunned.

_It couldn't be..._

"Rory?" The Doctor whispered, still bewildered, as his old friend approached him.

When Rory's face lit up with a delighted grin, and cried the Doctor's name, the Doctor almost collapsed.

"Rory!" He bellowed excitedly, stumbling forward into his friend's embrace. As Rory's arms wrapped around him, the Doctor had to hold back tears. Seeing that Rory was alive, and in existence, delighted _and_ comforted him. There was still hope.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've missed you!" Rory exclaimed, pulling back to beam at his friend. "What are you doing here? Hell, what am _I_ doing here? You would not believe what's happened to me, Doctor. It's crazy!"

"I can tell." The Doctor remarked, examining his friend's Roman armour. "Rory the Roman. Never thought I'd be saying that."

"You're telling me." Rory muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his gear. "Listen, I think we should go to my tent and talk. Something's going on, and I don't think it's safe to talk with so many people around."

"Agreed." The Doctor said, giving their surroundings a quick glance.

And then he remembered River and Jack were standing a couple of metres away from them, watching them curiously. Jack, by the looks of it, didn't remember Rory at all, which was to be expected, but there was a glint in River's eyes, and she gave the Doctor a slight nod when he caught her gaze. He knew then that River knew who Rory was, but wasn't going to introduce herself as someone from his future. Their situation was complicated enough.

After excusing himself from Rory for a minute, the Doctor rejoined River and Jack.

"Who's that guy?" Jack asked suspiciously, jerking his head in Rory's direction.

"Old friend of mine." The Doctor said quickly. "Listen, I think he might be able to help us. In the meantime, could you two scour more of the campsite? Search for alien signals being transmitted, or something."

"Sure thing." Jack gave the Doctor a mock-salute, before turning away and heading off in the opposite direction. Giving the Doctor a small smile, River squeezed his arm reassuringly before following after Jack.

"Who's the blonde?" Rory asked the Doctor curiously when he rejoined him.

"I'm not completely sure yet." The Doctor admitted, casting a look back at River's departing form. "Someone from my future, I know that. My future self apparently sent her here to save Amy."

Rory immediately halted, and stared at the Doctor in horror. "Amy was taken?"

The Doctor swallowed, and lowered his gaze to the floor, knowing that he'd broken Rory's dying wish. "Yes...I'm so sorry Rory, I really am. I tried, I tried _so_ hard to keep her safe. But I couldn't."

He felt Rory rest his hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to see him giving him a reassuring smile. "S'okay Doctor. I kinda guessed already, when I noticed that Jack didn't recognise me. I remember everything you told me about..." He suddenly trailed off, and after quickly looking around their surroundings, he lowered his voice. "...the cracks in time. I told Hannah and Alonzo, and I know you said not to, but-"

"-Hannah and Alonzo are alive too!" The Doctor hissed, his eyes widening.

"Yep, and so are Amy's parents. Oh, and most of the population of Leadworth are here too." Rory told him, grinning slightly.

"I'm glad you're all alive, but I don't understand _why_." The Doctor muttered, as they came to a stop outside of one of the tents. "I managed to locate Amy's sonic to this location, but I never imagined that I'd find you all here. Not that I'm complaining!"

"Don't ask us why we're here either. I woke up right here, my head full of Roman-y stuff." Rory said as they entered the tent. "But when I bumped into Hannah, I remembered my other life; my _real_ life. And then I located Alonzo...and since then, we've all been waiting around for you. I never gave up hope, you know."

The Doctor couldn't help but beam at that, touched by his friend's faith in him, but Rory wasn't finished. "None of us did. We knew you'd come back. You always come back, to quote Amy." He said, grinning. "And we'll help you find her. So add three more members to Team Doctor."

"That's a total of six then, including myself." The Doctor muttered, taking a seat on the floor beside the campfire.

"Six?" Rory echoed in disbelief. "But you're..._you're the Doctor_! Surely you have more support than that!"

"Unfortunately, the aliens that would have supported me have all been killed, or have been forced to join my enemies." The Doctor replied glumly, stoking the fire.

"Ah well, doesn't matter too much. You're the equivalent of thousands of soldiers anyway." Rory remarked, attempting to lighten the Doctor's mood.

It didn't work, and the Doctor continued to stare sullenly into the fire.

So Rory decided to try another tactic. "Here, I think you should take a look at this." He said, taking a piece of parchment out of his armour and handing it to the Doctor.

The Doctor opened it up, and was surprised when he realised that it was a map of the campsite. "We're by Stonehenge?"

"Yep. The Romans are saying that there's been some odd activity down there, but I haven't had the chance to look over there yet." Rory told him. "I tried investigating here in the camp, but Romans are very secretive. Wouldn't tell me a thing."

"How far away is Stonehenge from here?"

"About twenty minutes on horseback. I have access to the stables so I can get enough horses for us all...do you want to check it out now?"

"As soon as possible." The Doctor replied, tucking the map into his tweed jacket. "We'll gather River and Jack, and then the four of us can ride over there."

"Unfortunately Doctor, we can't leave just yet." Rory said regretfully, and the Doctor looked at him in bewilderment.

"Why not?"

"Because you need to meet Augustus and Tabetha first." Rory said, grinning when the Doctor frowned.

"As interesting as they sound - lovely names by the way - we really don't have time."

"We'll make time, seeing as you're about to meet Amy's parents."

The Doctor would have fallen over if he was standing. "What? Oh Rory, no! I can't meet them, not yet! Absolutely not!"

"Why not?"

"How am I supposed to converse with them?" The Doctor demanded. "Oh yes, hi Mr and Mrs Pond!. I'm your daughter's alien husband who knocked her up. She doesn't know you exist so the chances of you meeting your granddaughter are rather low. Oh, and I also got your daughter kidnapped."

Once the Doctor had finished with his rant, Rory started to laugh, which frustrated the Doctor. "Rory, this isn't funny!"

"Oh but it is!" Rory chortled. "Doctor, I've already told them about you. I've told them _everything_, and they still want to meet you. Hannah and Alonzo should be back with them shortly."

"Good grief." The Doctor sighed, running his hand through his hair. "The things you make me do Williams."

"You're one to talk! Remember the Bizzicles? Most terrifying alien encounter _ever_. And I had to clean yours and Amy's mess afterwards. Actually...scratch that. The Leadworth mansion was worse, with those human flesh aliens. Disgusting!"

The Doctor couldn't but laugh as he recalled the memories. "I promise you, once all this is over, we'll have many more adventures like that."

Rory's face lit up. "God I hope so! What do you have in mind?"

Before the Doctor could reply, the tent door suddenly opened, and Hannah walked inside. Grinning, the Doctor leapt to his feet and threw his arms around her. "Good to see you, Mrs Williams!" He told her with a laugh, embracing her warmly.

"Oh how I've missed you, spaceman!" Hannah chuckled, pulling back to beam at him. "Has Rory told you about Amy's parents?"

"Yep." The Doctor said, nervously running his hand through his hair again. "Are they outside?"

"Yes, they're waiting for you. Listen, don't be nervous. They love you already. We all do."

The Doctor shot her a crooked smile, grateful for her words. "Thank you Hannah. How do I look? Good, I hope."

"You look like a dope. But then, you always have." Rory remarked, joining them, and the Doctor laughed.

"No, but seriously. Do I look...suitable? Like a good husband? Well, clearly I'm not that good 'cause I got their daughter kidnapped, but-"

"Shut up." Hannah interrupted, sounding so much like Amy that the Doctor couldn't help but smile. "You look fine."

"Good thing I shaved the last time I was in the TARDIS." The Doctor muttered, as Hannah and Rory opened up the tent door for him.

"Good luck!" Rory said, before giving the Doctor a small shove out of the tent.

Straightening up, the Doctor came face to face with two people, that both resembled Amy so much that the Doctor froze. Tabetha had his Amy's long, red hair, and Augustus had her freckles, and hazel eyes.

"Doctor." Augustus said warmly, holding out his hand to shake, which the Doctor quickly grasped. "You have no idea how much we've wanted to meet you."

Before the Doctor could react, Augustus pulled him into an embrace, and the Doctor returned it, albeit still in shock.

Once he'd released the Doctor, Tabetha then hugged him warmly, and she kissed his cheek. "Thank you for keeping our little girl safe for so many years." She whispered, pulling back to beam at him. "We've done nothing but worry for so many years, wondering what happened to our daughter, and then when we met Rory, he gave us the information we'd been longing to hear. And we can never thank you enough."

The Doctor blinked, still unable to speak. He'd never expected to be so accepted by Amy's parents. He didn't deserve their kind words.

"Thank you." He finally managed, smiling at them sheepishly. "But...I didn't manage to save her completely, and I'm sorry for that."

"We know you are." Augustus said, smiling sadly. "But we know you'll try your damned hardest to find her. You're the greatest man in the Universe, after all. I don't know what would have happened to Amy if it hadn't been for you. I can't wait till we're all together again, back in Leadworth, where we can all be a proper family."

The Doctor could only nod in reply, his smile tight. He didn't want to promise them anything, and he certainly didn't want to live in Leadworth with Amy to raise their daughter. But he couldn't risk upsetting them already.

Luckily, he didn't have to think of anything to say, because he saw River and Jack approaching them.

"Doctor, we've managed to locate a faint signal at Stonehenge, although we don't know what's there." Jack said as they joined them. "Are you ready to go?"

"Of course. My friends Rory and Hannah will be joining us too." The Doctor told them, nodding at the tent. "Go in and make sure they're prepared."

Jack nodded, and River followed him inside.

"Anything we can do to help?" Tabetha asked, and the Doctor gave them a small smile.

"I don't want to put you in danger, so I think it's best if you stay here." He told them. "Keep an eye on things, and look out for suspicious behaviour. Here, take this." Pausing, he withdrew a communicator, that looked like a walkie-talkie, and gave it to Augustus. "I have one too, so if you notice anything, call me."

"Will do." Augustus said firmly. "Stay safe, young man. Look after yourself. We want our son-in-law and daughter back in one piece, okay?"

Now that was one promise that the Doctor could keep, at least, half of it. "I promise you that Amy will be fine." He replied furtively. "I will return her to you, I swear."

His eyes filling up with tears, Augustus embraced the Doctor again, before pulling away to wipe his face. "Thank you, Doctor. May Heaven be on your side."

"Amen." Tabetha murmured, and then the two of them walked away.

The Doctor smiled at their retreating forms, and then jumped out of his skin when his friends suddenly darted out of the tent.

"To the stables!" Rory exclaimed, and the Doctor couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm as he hurried after them, all of them frantic to get to Stonehenge.

~I~

On the way to the stables, they ran into Alonzo, who hid his emotion well when Jack failed to acknowledge him. He offered to join them at Stonehenge, but the Doctor asked him to watch over Amy's parents. He didn't want anything to happen to them, and he knew Alonzo would look after them and keep them safe if anything _were_ to happen.

After acquiring their horses, the five of them set off, Rory and the Doctor in the lead as they rode to Stonehenge. It didn't take them long to get there, and the moment they arrived, the Doctor immediately began scanning the stones with his sonic screwdriver, looking for a transmission of some kind. He soon found something, but it wasn't a signal. It was a staircase leading underground.

"So, who wants to go first?" Jack asked playfully, but the Doctor could sense his apprehension. None of them knew what was down there.

The only light they had was the Doctor's sonic, so he headed down the staircase first, River and Jack right behind him, and Rory and Hannah bringing up the rear.

Luckily, when they got underground, the Doctor spotted two torches, and he managed to light them with his sonic screwdriver, keeping one and giving the other to Jack.

The new light illuminated an enormous, iron door in front of them, and all of them exchanged hesitant looks.

"Any guesses on what's inside, Doctor?" Rory asked nervously, as the Doctor approached the door.

"Hopefully a way to get to Amy." The Doctor replied, removing the wooden bar so that they'd be able to open the door. "Jack, give me a hand."

Nodding, Jack stood at the other side, and together, they pushed the iron doors open, to reveal a dark chamber. But what captured their attention immediately was the large cube in the centre. The walls of it were carved intricately, and when River realised that the pattern was familiar to her, she took out the papers that had the sketches of the Pandorica on them.

They were an exact match.

"The Pandorica." River whispered, staring at it in awe. "More than just a fairytale."

"I can't believe that it's real." The Doctor murmured, edging towards it, Jack and River slowly following him.

"What's the Pandorica?" Hannah asked them, glancing at Rory, who shrugged, not understanding what it was either.

"A prison." The Doctor answered, hanging his torch up so that he could touch the Pandorica. "There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior, a nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all of the cosmos. Nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world."

"And it's in there?" Rory whispered, taking a step away from it. "How did it end up inside?"

The Doctor turned his head, and gave him a small smile. "Oh, you know fairytales. A good wizard tricked it."

"The good wizard was probably you." Jack remarked as he examined the pattern on the Pandorica, and the Doctor smiled, but shook his head.

"You know, it's a bit like Pandora's box, and it almost has the same name too." Rory commented. "That was Amy's favourite book when we were kids."

At the mention of Amy's name, the Doctor froze. "The Roman era is her favourite too." He murmured, frowning. "Never ignore a coincidence."

River tilted her head to the side slightly, and gave the Doctor a calculating look. "What are you thinking, Doctor?"

"Not much." He responded. "Just that everything seems to be connected to Amy." And then he thought of something. "You don't think Amy's...inside...there?"

All four of his friends gave him a strange look, and the Doctor quickly looked away. "Sorry. Stupid thought. Desperate man, desperate times."

Jack patted his shoulder sympathetically, before moving away so that River could examine the Pandorica with her scanner.

"So, shall we open it?" She asked them, though her question was directed at the Doctor, who shook his head.

"I'd rather know what we're going to let out first." The Doctor muttered, tapping the Pandorica.

"Well, we don't have long to wait. It's already opening." River told him, examining her scanner. "There seems to be layers and layers of security protocols inside, but they're being disabled, one by one. Maybe whatever is in there is unlocking the prison from the inside."

This worried the Doctor, but he couldn't help but be intrigued by what was inside. "How long do we have?" He asked, pressing his ear to the Pandorica to see if he could hear any movement from inside the prison.

"Hours. It won't take the thing inside long to unlock the deadlocks, the timestops and the matterlines." River replied, placing the scanner back on the Pandorica.

"What's powerful enough to break out of something like that, Doctor?" Rory asked nervously, approaching the Pandorica slowly again.

"No idea. Must be something great though. I mean, the level of fear that went into making this prison...remarkable." The Doctor murmured, straightening up from the Pandorica.

"But why is the Pandorica here? Why are Hannah and I here? Where's Amy?" Rory demanded, slightly panicked.

"Questions I can't answer Rory." The Doctor said tiredly, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Sorry. But we should have answers soon. Hopefully."

"What I don't get is why Vincent Van Gogh drew sketches of the Pandorica." River spoke up, taking the sketches of the Pandorica out of her pocket again. "He won't be alive for centuries."

"Maybe the fairytale of the Pandorica reached him somehow, and he drew what he thought the Pandorica looked like." Jack answered distractedly as he hung his torch up.

"Yes, but the drawings _are_ the Pandorica. You can't draw something exactly unless you've seen it." River said, and the Doctor took the drawings out of her hand to look at them.

"So maybe the image was transmitted to him instead." Jack guessed. "But the real concern is this, if Vincent could see the Pandorica, who else could? What else is coming?"

Suddenly, the Doctor's head snapped up. "We've been tricked!" He realised, beginning to tremble with anger, and everyone looked at him in shock. "Listen, we've been brought here to be distracted by the Pandorica! Amy's probably above us in a spaceship right now, but my enemies want me to face the threat of the Pandorica. But that's not going to happen. We need to get out of here, _now_!"

As he began to race to the doors, something curled around his leg and yanked him down to the floor, and he came face to face with a moving Cyberman head.

"Doctor!" Jack bellowed, darting forward to help him, when he was shot to the floor.

"Quick! Behind the Pandorica!" River yelled to Hannah and Rory, who quickly followed her advice, moving out of the line of fire.

"River, run!" The Doctor cried, as he struggled to reach his sonic due to the wires wrapping around his body.

"Fat chance!" She snapped over the roar of the gunfire coming from what looked like the Cyberman's arm, that was laying on the floor.

Diving for it, she restrained the arm easily, and quickly deactivated it with a deadlock disc, stopping the gunfire, and the Doctor managed to use his sonic to break the Cyberman cables that were holding him captive.

"Deactivate it! Now!" He yelled, latching onto the head and keeping it still, and River quickly sprinted over and placed a deadlock disc on it.

Throwing the head aside, the Doctor rose slowly to his feet, and smiled weakly. "See? They're distracting me."

"Well, that distraction bloody hurt." Jack muttered, opening his eyes, already healed, and the Doctor helped him up.

"Well, it'll take a much better distraction than that to keep-"

The Doctor was immediately cut off by the sound of more Cyberman gunfire.

~I~

Watching her husband struggle in battle was crushing Amy's heart, and her unborn daughter was restless in her movement in her womb, almost sensing that something was wrong.

"Leave them alone!" Amy cried, scared for the Doctor and his friends, but her command was ignored by the Doctor's enemies, who were with her in the control room of the Spaceship, watching the action by the Pandorica unfold on a giant screen.

"The Doctor will be okay." Antonium murmured, in an attempt to console her. "The Daleks won't let him be killed."

But at that moment, the Doctor dove for a cyberman arm so that River could deactivate it, when it suddenly self-destructed, and the Doctor was thrown backwards from the force.

"Son of a bitch!" Amy heard Jack roar, and he appeared in the video's frame as he yanked the Doctor to his feet. "Go and help River, I'll cover you."

The Doctor gave him a swift nod, before bolting towards River, who was now wrestling with two Cybermen heads. One was wrapping it's wires around her legs, and the other one's wires were crawling up to her neck. The Doctor immediately used his sonic screwdriver to destroy the wires, and then River managed to grab her gun and shoot the heads dead, with Jack's help.

"Help me!" The female Roman cried, and Amy watched as the Doctor flew over to her, dodging the bullets as he went to disconnect Cyberman wires from around her arms and chest. When she was unbound, the male Roman, who had been wrestling with a Cyberman arm but had gotten free, ran over to them, and the Doctor yelled, "Go to my TARDIS and fly here, she will show you how to do it! Hurry! The three of us will keep the Cybermen distracted!"

The male Roman looked horrified at the Doctor's request, and he shook his head. "No Doctor! You're the one that needs to leave and get Amy!"

"I need to stay here and wait for the Pandorica to open! Whatever's inside will be my weapon to retrieving Amy and I'm the only one who can talk to it! So hurry!"

At his words, Amy's world shattered. Antonium had been right. The Doctor's love for her _was_ blind. He was going to stay right next to his prison, directly in the centre of the Dalek's trap, because he believed it contained a way of getting her back to him.

Amy couldn't even cry. She'd shed too many tears already. She could only watch, numb, as the Romans began to make their way out of the chamber, and the Doctor ran back to the middle of the fight.

She didn't even react when the Doctor was shot in the shoulder moments later. And as he began to bleed through his ruined tweed jacket, but continued to fight, she still couldn't feel anything. She'd already accepted that it was over.

The Doctor had lost.

~I~

Running behind the Pandorica, the Doctor quickly took a breather from the fight to examine the wound in his shoulder. Fortunately, it was already starting to heal.

After quickly readjusting the settings on his sonic screwdriver, he dove out from his hiding place, prepared to fight again.

But all of the Cybermen parts had disappeared, and the Doctor glanced at River and Jack, bewildered, but they could only return his shocked gaze.

"They just...melted into the ground." Jack whispered, answering the Doctor's silent question. "At least they're gone, right?"

"Gone, but gone where?" The Doctor said quietly, frowning.

Before either River or Jack could answer, there was a loud click behind them, and all three of them turned around to face the Pandorica.

"Has it unlocked all of the way _already_?" Jack exclaimed, keeping his voice low as he eyed the prison wearily. "I thought it would take hours!"

"I don't know, but I don't want to get too close to find out." River whispered back, and then she quickly yanked the Doctor back when he began to make his way towards it.

"Don't go near it until it shows itself!" She hissed at him.

The Doctor sighed, but nodded reluctantly, and together, the three of them gazed at the Pandorica, waiting for the most powerful being in the Universe to emerge.

~I~

When Antonium had agreed to join the Daleks and their fight against the Doctor, he'd only done it to save his own life. But he'd never, ever believed in the cause they were fighting for.

Yes, the Doctor had done many terrible, unthinkable things. He'd killed Antonium's father, but he'd forgiven him for that. He'd forgiven him immediately after joining the Doctor's enemies in their fight against him.

He'd hoped that he'd be able to be of some help for the Doctor by finding out the Dalek's plans, and he'd hoped to warn him in time. But the threat of the Doctor's enemies was so great and so terrorizing that Antonium didn't dare defy them.

The only way he could help the Doctor it seemed, was to ensure that Amy was looked after. Of course, she hated him, but that was to be expected. They both knew that Antonium had the power to teleport them out of there, but he chose not to. Because then they'd kill Amy, because of their connection with her. They owned her soul, and even if Antonium _had _returned Amy to the Doctor, it wouldn't have done any good. They would have just killed her, which would enrage the Doctor, and when he would come looking for them, they'd trap him in the Pandorica.

Antonium knew, just like Amy now did, that it was over. The moment they watched the Doctor step into the chamber where the Pandorica was, there was no hope.

But seeing Amy in the state she was currently in was killing Antonium. He'd seen her hysterical. He'd seen her angry. He'd seen her depressed. But he'd never seen her as broken as she was now.

And she wouldn't even see her husband before the end.

Antonium _owed _her that opportunity. He owed the Doctor that too. It might be the last thing that all three of them experienced, but at least for Amy and the Doctor, they'd be reunited before the end came.

And Antonium believed that was worth more than his own life.

Before he could change his mind, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Amy, placing his fingers on her forehead and teleporting them both to the Pandorica chamber.

"What the hell?" Amy snapped when they'd landed, wrenching her arm out of his grip, only to see a bewildered Doctor staring back at her over Antonium's shoulder.

* * *

**And...CUT. Teehee. What will happen next? I'd love to hear your guesses! **

**Hayley xo**


	65. Chapter 65

**A/N: Going to try to update at least once a week now, because we're nearing the end, and I can't leave you all in suspense for long, because a lot is about to happen! Haha..."spoilers."**

**Anyway, as I explained to a few of you in my review replies, this chapter is HUGE, and I'm not talking about word count. See if you can pick up on some subtle clues and hints to what will be explained further on in the story. **

**Brace yourselves, my lovelies!**

* * *

It was almost as if time had stopped the moment Amy and the Doctor saw each other. Their stunned gazes locked, both of them considering the possibility that they were dreaming, and the Doctor's eyes widened while Amy's filled with tears.

Time began again when each of them whispered the other's name, and they both surged forward. Amy faltered immediately, still weakened from her ordeal, but the Doctor managed to reach her before she could fall, his strong arms immediately embracing her frail body and drawing her into him.

"Oh Amy." He whispered thickly, tears of his own dripping onto her skin as he burrowed his face against her neck. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"It's okay." She whispered, clinging onto him just as tightly.

The Doctor raised his head, and gazed into her tear-filled eyes, pained. "Look what they've done to you both." Trembling, he placed his hand on Amy's bump, but he couldn't even smile when he felt his daughter move under his touch. "This isn't right, and I-"

"Shut up." Amy said hoarsely, managing to muster up a smile. "It's happened, and we can't do anything about it."

The Doctor could only stare back at her in awe, never failing to be overwhelmed by his wife's selflessness. "Oh Amy, I-"

Sensing that he was about to apologise again, or say something unnecessary, Amy quickly placed her hand over her mouth. "Don't." She whispered. "Just kiss me."

Taking his hand away from their daughter, he reached up and tenderly cradled her face, his lips millimetres away from hers. "I love you."

Amy's hands slid up to grasp the collar of his tweed jacket, and she tilted her head, her lips just about touching the Doctor's. "I love you too." She murmured, her eyes fluttering closed when the Doctor finally kissed her.

_They were Home._

But Amy and the Doctor weren't alone, and they were both still in incredible danger. At Jack's bellow of their names, they broke their kiss, but didn't remove their hold on each other.

"As much as I'd love to celebrate right now, I think we should get out of here. _Now_!" Jack exclaimed, already backing away towards the chamber entrance. "Once they realise Amy's gone, they'll kill us all!"

Everyone immediately started for the doors, but when Amy wavered again, the Doctor scooped her into his arms and began carrying her towards the door. Amy was too weak to protest, so she could only cling onto the Doctor as they made their way across the chamber.

"Doctor, we're trapped!" River realised in alarm once they'd reached her. The staircase leading into the chamber had been completely destroyed, and the entrance itself looked like it had been cemented. "How are we supposed to get out of here?"

"Vortex manipulators." The Doctor answered instantly, lowering Amy gently to the floor. "You and Jack take Antonium and Amy to the TARDIS, then come back for me."

"Absolutely not!" Antonium hissed. "Not with the Pandorica here! Go in my place, Doctor."

"Whatever is in the Pandorica will not be a threat to me. I can handle it! Now go!" The Doctor snapped, impatient for Amy to get to safety.

"The Pandorica is _your _threat Doctor! No one else's!" Antonium said harshly, glancing over at Amy. "Tell him Amy!"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about." Amy whispered vulnerably, lost as she gazed back at Antonium.

Antonium nearly reeled back in horror at her words. They'd only been talking and thinking about the Doctor's prison just moments before Antonium had teleported them to the chamber from the Spaceship. The Daleks were manipulating her memory. Still.

And that's when Antonium knew they were on their way.

"Antonium, what do you know about the Pandorica?" The Doctor demanded, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "What's inside?"

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light behind them, causing all of them to cover their eyes, and the Doctor immediately drew Amy into him, expecting that a crack of time was forming in the chamber.

But when the light faded away, the Doctor raised his head to see the chamber filled with hundreds of his worst enemies, from the Daleks, to the Cybermen, to the Slitheen. Rory and Hannah were with them too, being held captive by two Judoons.

"Now River!" He barked, and River immediately surged forward and grabbed Amy's arm, using her vortex manipulator to teleport them out of the chamber.

However, they didn't get very far, and the Doctor saw them reappear out of the corner of his eye, shielded from his enemies by their position behind an ancient statue. He knew then that his enemies weren't going to let any of them escape. They were trapped.

It was time for the final battle.

"You've really managed to piss me off." The Doctor began, his tone casual as he stared down his enemies. "Kidnapping my wife _and_ forcing our baby to grow unnaturally. Don't expect to get away with this."

"We don't expect you to do anything, Doctor." One of the Judoon drawled, and Rory and Hannah quickly slipping out of their grasp, knowing that they were now distracted by the Doctor.

Once they'd reached the Doctor's side, the Doctor immediately stood in front of them, shielding all of his friends from his enemies. However, Jack suddenly darted away from them, gun at the ready, and shot at the white Dalek, exploding it in half with two bullets.

"That one was for you, Doctor." Jack told him quickly with a dry grin, just as the remaining Daleks screeched, "Exterminate!" and shot him to the ground.

Jack's bout of courage inspired River, and the Doctor watched in his peripheral vision as she withdrew her own gun. But fortunately, Amy reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her _and_ avoiding alerting the Doctor's enemies to their presence, which the Doctor was grateful for.

"Do you know why we're here, Doctor?" One of the Cybermen demanded. "Do you understand what we all have in common?"

The Doctor could feel Rory and Hannah trembling behind him, but their apparent fear didn't make him nervous. It made him angrier. "Because you all _hate_ me. Tell me something I don't know."

"You have killed more aliens, and destroyed more galaxies than all of us!" The Philian leader thundered, stepping out of the crowd of enemies. "You call yourself the Doctor, the Healer, when you are the most evil alien out of all of us! You must be incarcerated, for the sake of the Universe!"

The Philian's leader's words stung, but the Doctor would not be distracted, or allow himself to falter. "Shame you've already got the worst alien of the Universe locked up inside the Pandorica. And speaking of that..."

Without giving anyone the time to react, he withdrew his sonic screwdriver and unlocked the Pandorica fully, sending the doors open with a loud, resounding bang.

Only to be greeted by an empty prison.

Suddenly, everything fell into place.

The Doctor briefly met Antonium's sorrowful gaze, and understood why he'd wanted him to leave the chamber as soon as he could.

The Pandorica was for him. He was the monster that the fairytale described.

Hannah and Rory began to whisper the Doctor's name, pained, but the Doctor could barely hear them. He could only stare at the Pandorica, and then at his enemies, stunned.

He didn't know what to do.

"No!" He suddenly heard Antonium bellow, and then all he could feel was a white-hot pain, searing into his side. Glancing down through his rapidly blurring vision, he saw Rory's hand clutching a bloody knife, and then saw his own blood pouring through a gaping wound on his side.

The Doctor could barely hear Rory's hysterical apologies over Amy and River's screams, and over the sound of his own heartbeat thundering in his ears.

And then suddenly...more blood.

The rich, iron taste of it began to choke him, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

He was dying.

He no longer had the strength to stand upright, and he felt himself slump towards the floor. But he never reached it, because he then found himself in the iron grasp of Rory and Hannah as they began to drag his limp body towards the Pandorica.

"Doctor, what's happening to us?" Hannah hissed tearfully, Rory in tears as well as they yanked him towards the Pandorica. "What have they done to us? Why can't we control our bodies? Help us!"

But the Doctor couldn't do anything. It was taking all of his strength not to regenerate, knowing that one hit from his enemies during his regeneration cycle would kill him, for good. He could only cough up more blood.

The next thing he knew, he was inside of the Pandorica, Rory and Hannah clamping his arms and legs down so that he couldn't escape from inside.

They were both still begging him to help them, their anguish a complete contrast to the mechanical way their bodies were moving, but the Doctor couldn't focus on them. His gaze was for Amy alone, and although she was crying, and screaming for him, he could barely hear her.

"I'm sorry." He finally managed to whisper. There was nothing else he could say, or do. It was over. Amy's fate, and the fate of their friends, was in his enemies hands alone. The Doctor was powerless now.

"Don't say that Doctor!" Hannah cried, as the Cybermen dragged both her and Rory away from him. "Don't give up Doctor! Help us!"

"Are you wondering what we've done to Amy's precious family and friends?" The Philian leader sneered, approaching him.

"Autons." The Doctor managed to say, glaring furiously at him. "I'm not...I'm not stupid."

"Oh but you are!" A Sontaran joined the Philian next, and both of them smirked down at the Doctor gleefully. "You didn't even realise we were planning a trap for you through your companion! Maybe if you hadn't fallen in love with her and impregnated her, you may have been smart enough to figure out that the cracks in time were fabricated for you to come looking for us!"

The Doctor could only stare wordlessly up at them, cursing himself silently for his own stupidity.

Why did he even try to find happiness? It only ruined him in the end. And it ruined all of the people he kept in his life, and in his companionship.

He was better off alone.

But he couldn't dwell on his own self-pity and self-loathing now. His wife, their unborn daughter and all of their friends were still in severe danger. And it was only a matter of time before they closed the doors of his prison, and he'd have no idea of their fate.

Suddenly, another thought struck him. He'd been helpless, and powerless only moments before because of his stab wound...but now...he seemed to be healing. And it was impossible that the time energy in his body would heal the wound, as it was far too deep. He should either be regenerating, or dying in this instance. But he was doing neither.

Glancing down at his wound, he saw that it was still open, but not bleeding anymore. Confused, the Doctor turned his gaze to his enemies, and the Philian leader grinned maliciously at him.

"Wondering why you're not healing, or regenerating? The Pandorica is frozen in time, if you will. We can do whatever we like to you, and the injuries won't kill you. But if you ever leave the Pandorica, the injuries you've sustained in here will still exist, and kill you the moment you leave. So you're trapped forever!" It explained cruelly.

The Doctor didn't even have time to react to his words before the Sontaran hit him in the face with the butt of his gun, rendering him unconscious instantly.

~I~

River had expected the Doctor's enemies to turn on her and the others once they'd knocked the Doctor out, but they hadn't even glanced in their direction. Instead, they'd lit up a ring of fire around the Pandorica, and proceeded to laugh and celebrate, the Sontarans even leading everyone into a chant about defeating the Doctor.

She was still with Amy behind the ancient statue, neither of them daring to move. Antonium had managed to join them though without attracting any of the alien's attention, and together, the three of them sullenly watched the Doctor's enemies celebration.

Jack still hadn't awoken, and Rory and Hannah were unconscious as well, their Auton side no longer active as they'd done their duty. At least, River hoped it was.

Suddenly Amy winced, and River glanced over at her. "You alright?"

"Am I _alright_?" Amy hissed, pulling herself up into a sitting position from where she'd been curled up on the floor. "In case you hadn't noticed, my husband is dying inside of the Pandorica and I feel like I'm about to give birth! Oh, and we could all die any minute now. So don't you dare ask me if I'm alright!"

Angry Amy was better than tearful Amy, River decided, although Amy quickly dissolved into sobs again immediately after her rant, and River sighed.

"If it makes you feel any better, I have a device that's working on disabling the deadlock the Doctor's enemies have put on the chamber." She told Amy quietly. "When it's ready, I can teleport us out of the chamber and into the TARDIS."

She expected Amy to react in a positive way to her words, but Amy glared fiercely at her. "We're not leaving the Doctor!" She snapped. "I'm not going anywhere without him!"

"Do you really think he'd want you to stay here instead of getting yourself, and your child, to safety?" River retorted angrily. "The Doctor is a strong man. You of all people should know that! He'll be fine for a while longer."

"Look at him, River!" Amy cried, on the verge of hysteria. "They've beaten him black and blue, and he's not waking up!"

"I know that Amy." River said calmly, attempting to reason with her now. "But even if we manage to rescue him now, he'll die, or regenerate. Do you want that? We're going to have to wait."

Amy gazed at her for a moment, before nodding her head slightly in defeat. "I'm sorry." She whispered, angry at herself for lashing out at her friend. River only gave her a small smile in reply, before wrapping her arm around her comfortingly, and Amy leaned into her side.

"They'll get bored eventually, and leave us all alone." Antonium said quietly, speaking for the first time, and both Amy and River glanced over at him. "But I don't think any of this will be over. They may still want your daughter Amy."

Amy was already too devastated to be saddened further by Antonium's words, but River glared at him.

"So that's why we lay low until I can get Amy out of here!" She hissed. "Now be quiet."

Antonium nodded his head, before turning his gaze back to the Doctor's enemies.

~I~

It was only minutes later that the enemies celebration ceased, and they closed the Pandorica, sealing the Doctor inside, for good. River had to cover Amy's mouth to stop her from crying out as they did so, rocking her gently in an attempt to soothe her.

"Now that he's gone, what do we do with the others?" The Philian leader demanded, casting a glance over at the unconscious Jack, Rory and Hannah. He didn't even glance in the direction of River, Amy and Antonium, which River was grateful for, although she was worried for her friends.

"Leave them." The red Dalek commanded. "They'll face a greater danger escaping to their own time. I shall see to that."

"I'm sure you will." The Philian leader said dryly, and with another bright flash of light, all of the enemies vanished, the fire extinguishing with them.

River waited with bated breath for a few moments, before releasing Amy from her embrace and rising to her feet slowly.

Taking out her gun, she stepped out from behind the statue and began to make her way cautiously towards the Pandorica, looking out for traps as she did so. Upon seeing none, she began to move faster towards the Pandorica, until she saw Rory's body twitch out of the corner of her eye.

"Rory?" She whispered, changing her course and moving over to him instead. "Rory, wake up!"

Rory's eyelids flickered for a moment, before his eyes opened fully. "What...what happened?"

"A lot." River said shortly, not wanting to remind him of what he'd done. "How do you feel?"

"I...I don't know." Rory whispered, gazing up at her. "I...I'm so...confused...I-"

"Don't try to remember." River cut him off quickly. "We have to focus."

Rory blinked, but nodded slowly, and then both of them noticed Amy beginning to crawl towards the Pandorica.

"Amy, don't strain yourself!" River hissed, immediately running over to her side. "You can't help the Doctor!"

But Amy didn't reply, so River grabbed hold of her shoulders, preventing her from moving forward. Amy didn't put up much of a fight, and she collapsed to the floor, her face pressed against the rough ground.

"River...my mind hurts." She mumbled into the dirt, her eyes shut tightly.

"Mine does too." River sighed, rubbing her temples with her fingers. "Especially after today."

"No!" Amy suddenly cried, opening her eyes and staring up at River through a blind of tears. "My mind really..._hurts_!"

Confused, River glanced over at Antonium who was standing behind them, his eyes wide with horror.

"I knew this was going to happen." He whispered hauntingly. "I'm so sorry Amy."

"Doctor!" Amy screamed, pushing herself up from the ground. "Doctor, help me!"

"Amy, look at me!" River commanded, lowering herself to the ground to stare into Amy's wild eyes. "Tell me why it hurts!"

To River's horror, Amy suddenly began to claw at herself, scratching and carving into her own skin, and River quickly restrained her. "Amy, what's happening to you?" She cried, gripping her wrists tightly.

"They're...they're in here." Amy whimpered, staring over River's shoulder at the Pandorica.

"Who's in where?" River demanded, shaking her slightly. "Amy, tell me!"

But Amy refused to meet her gaze, so River immediately looked up at Antonium. "What is she talking about? She-"

"-She's going insane." He said quietly, interrupting her. "I would be too, if I had the Dal-"

Suddenly, there was a loud, strangled cry from Rory, and River turned her gaze on him. "Rory?" She asked him in alarm. "What-"

"-What have I done?" He cried, staggering to his feet. "I have...blood...on my hands...and-" He broke off when he saw a bloody knife attached to his armour, and he let out another choked howl.

"Who did I kill? Tell me!" He cried, his eyes wild as he stared down River. "Where's the Doctor? What did I do to him?"

"Rory, calm down." River said quickly, rising to her feet and holding her hands up. "This isn't healthy, and you can't afford to lose control again!"

"_Again_?" Rory roared, beginning to tremble violently. "What have I done? Answer me!"

As River began to approach him slowly, she didn't expect Amy to rise to her feet behind her, and glare hatefully at him.

"You stabbed the Doctor!" She cried, her body wavering, and Antonium quickly moved to her side to support her. "You killed him, and you imprisoned him, and _you were his friend_!"

"Amy, stop!" River bellowed, but it was too late.

Enraged with grief, and self-hatred, Rory's Auton side was suddenly unleashed.

Before River could stop him, his hand snapped in half, revealing a gun, and he began to fire at Amy and Antonium.

Instantaneously, both of their bodies fell to the ground, and River didn't even have time to breathe before she was shot down too.

* * *

**I think I should take cover, and hide from the virtual weapons you're throwing my way at leaving the chapter there _and_ hurting our favourite characters. I'M SOWWY. But it's important. Trust me.**

**Let me know what you think! Just remember folks, someone can still save the day. **

**Hayley x**


	66. Chapter 66

**A/N: See, a quick (ish) update! Aren't I good to you all? Haha!**

**This chapter was rather hard to write, and hard to read over, so please forgive any bad wording. Hopefully next chapter will be better as the story is drawing to it's end...only two chapters left folks! **

* * *

Jack didn't know what to expect when he finally surfaced back to life, but it certainly wasn't the mass of destruction around him.

The Doctor's Roman friends were lying unconscious beside him, but he didn't care about them as much as he cared for the broken bodies of River and Amy, both of them on the other side of the chamber.

"Shit!" He hissed, forcing his aching body to stand so that he could walk over to them. "Amy? River? Wake up!"

Suddenly, he heard a quiet cough, and River jolted upright, wincing.

"You're okay!" Jack realised in relief, but his elated grin quickly faded when he saw the gun wound on her chest. "Christ River, what the hell happened while I was out?"

"The Doctor was stabbed by the two Autons over there, and then they shot all three of us." River told him bluntly, before digging her fingers into her wound.

Jack couldn't even ask her to expand her story, too horrified by the sight of her investigating her bloody injury. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Healing." River replied simply, withdrawing her hand away from her chest, her bloody fingers clutching a silver bullet. "It will take more than a bullet to kill me, but it was uncomfortable having it in my chest. Where's Amy?"

"Behind you." Jack said sadly, offering her his hand so that she could stand. "She doesn't look so good, but she'll be okay, right? She can't die, after all."

"I wouldn't be so sure." River whispered, staring over at horror at Amy's immobile, frail body. "Think of what she's been through, what her _body's_ been through."

Jack nodded slightly, and then both of them set off towards Amy, sinking to the ground once they'd reached her. Immediately, River began to search for a pulse, while Jack began to examine her injuries.

"Three bullets, two in her left shoulder, one in her heart." Jack stated, tearing off material from his shirt to patch up her wounds. "Still bleeding though, which is a good sign. Her heart must still be beating."

"But not for long...her pulse is slowing." River whispered, releasing Amy's wrist to press her fingers to the pulse point in her neck. "The Doctor told me something, years ago, about the time energy in Amy's blood. When she's pregnant, she's more vulnerable than ever, having to share her immunity with their baby, which weakens her body in the process. And because of the pregnancy acceleration, all of her time energy has been used up to grow her daughter."

"So...you're saying..." But Jack had to trail off, to hold in his emotion. "Fuck, River. What do we do? We need to get her to a Doctor..." And then suddenly, he realised a very important person was missing from the chamber, and his face whitened. "River, where the fuck is the Doctor? You said he was stabbed...tell me he isn't..."

Wordlessly, River nodded mournfully towards the Pandorica. "He's trapped inside there, but we can't release him. The stab wound will kill him if he leaves it, and the Pandorica is frozen in time, effectively freezing the Doctor's body _and_ keeping him alive."

"But we have to River!" Jack snapped. "Amy's dying! And he can help us! Are you willing to let the Doctor and Amy lose their first child? _Are you?_"

"I can save Amy!" River cried, withdrawing a small cube from her pocket. "My device is disabling the deadlock on the chamber so we can use our vortex manipulators to get out of here! Then we can take Amy straight to the hospital!"

"And then what?" Jack demanded, his grief quickly evolving into anger. "What will happen at the hospital? What, can the Doctors there magically create time energy to put inside Amy to keep both her and her daughter alive? Bullshit! No one knows, or even understands how time energy works. Except the Doctor. And without it, Amy and her baby are dead! We need him River!"

"And you're prepared to let him die, or regenerate?" River hissed. "You know Amy will hate us - and him - if we let him do either of those!"

"I'm sure Amy will be happier having a husband with a different face than her and her baby dying, and leaving the Doctor alone for eternity!" Jack bellowed, and when River's face fell, he knew he'd won the argument. "I'm releasing him. It's what he'd want us to do."

River knew that he was right, so she reached into Amy's gown pocket to retrieve her sonic screwdriver, having felt it when she was embracing her earlier. "Here." She whispered, passing it to him. "You do it. I'll wait with Amy."

Gripping the sonic screwdriver tightly in his hand, Jack rose to his feet shakily, his grief and sadness threatening to cripple him. But knowing that he could help the Doctor save Amy - and themselves - gave him the courage to raise the sonic and unlock the Pandorica.

However, that new-found courage was quickly shattered when he saw the state that the Doctor was in. The wound on his side was his worst injury, but he had a black eye, bruising along his jaw, and his arms were covered in deep gashes.

"Doctor?" Jack whispered, almost too scared to wake him, if his unconscious state was keeping him from feeling any pain. But glancing back over at Amy's crumpled body, he pushed that fear aside, and shook the Doctor's shoulders. "Doctor, wake up!" He commanded, and the Doctor's eyes suddenly flew open.

"...Jack?" He whispered, blinking slowly. "What...what-"

"-Doctor." Jack said quietly, needing to cut him off, and he gripped his friend's shoulders tightly. "It's Amy...you need to help her."

The moment the Doctor's eyes fell on Amy's broken form, the agonising pain he was in was nothing compared to his uncontrollable grief.

"Release-" The Doctor's voice broke, but he continued. "-me. Now Jack."

With no hesitation, Jack released him from his restraints, and the Doctor slowly rose to his feet, pressing his hand against the stab wound to stop the flow of blood that would begin when he left the Pandorica. Jack went to place his arm around the Doctor but he shrugged him off, unwilling to accept his weakness just yet.

The moment he stepped foot outside of the Pandorica, the pain intensified, and the Doctor almost collapsed from the excruciating pain from his battle wounds. But Amy kept him strong, for her and for their unborn daughter, and he gravitated towards them.

When he reached her side, he let himself fall to the floor, and he pressed his forehead to Amy's, finally reactivating their psychic bond. "I'll save you Amelia Pond." He vowed softly, leaning back to plant a trembling kiss on her cold lips. "Jack, River, put Amy inside the Pandorica."

He didn't need to look away from Amy to know that his friends were staring at him in horror. "Absolutely not!" River hissed. "You need to return to it, or you'll-"

"-Amy and our daughter will die if they are not placed inside of it!" The Doctor snapped, turning his gaze away from Amy to glare at River.

"So will you!" River reminded him sharply, but her voice cracked, and the Doctor's face softened.

"I can hold on for a while longer. The effect from the Pandorica is still preserving my body. Now please, do as I say." The Doctor whispered, and River's face crumpled, saddened by, yet understanding his sacrifice.

But she stayed strong, and while Jack gently scooped Amy up from the ground and placed her inside the Pandorica, River began to set the controls inside of the prison to accommodate for Amy.

The Doctor could only watch the process, not having the strength to do their job, until he noticed Antonium's lifeless form, only metres away from him. Slowly, he began to crawl towards him to help him, but he already knew that it was too late. He couldn't even hear a heartbeat.

"I'm so sorry Antonium." He said quietly as he reached him, and he took his hand to feel for a pulse. Upon finding none, he closed Antonium's eyelids, finally putting him to rest. "I never got to thank you, but I promise, I'll find a way to repay your favour. Your death has not been in vain."

"Doctor?"

At the sound of River's voice, the Doctor slowly rose to his feet, wincing from the pain, and turned towards her.

"How long do we leave Amy in the Pandorica for?" River asked him, her hand on Amy's forehead. "Her pulse has stopped slowing down, but it'll be a while before-"

"-Two thousand years." The Doctor stated, interrupting her, and Jack looked aghast by his response.

"Absolutely not!" He thundered. "How are we supposed to - how are _you_ supposed to stay alive for two thousand years!"

The Doctor regarded him for a moment, but didn't reply to his question. Instead, he turned his gaze on River. "River, I need you to go to my TARDIS, and fly her here. Quick as you can. Can you do that for me?"

Not even River could argue against the Doctor's wish, the fervour in his eyes the deciding factor. "Of course." She said immediately, already recognising the Doctor's plan. "I'll set the controls for the 26th of June, 2010 so as soon as I fly her here, we can travel straight to that era afterwards."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile slightly, knowing that she understood his plan. "Atta girl." He remarked, and River stepped forward so that he could place his hand on her cheek. "Be careful though, eh? Take Amy's sonic. Watch out for Autons and any other enemies that may be lurking around."

"I'll be fine." River replied determinedly, placing her hand over his. "I promise you that I won't let you down."

"I know you won't." The Doctor said softly, withdrawing his hand and giving her a half-hearted smile. "Now go."

After catching Amy's sonic screwdriver that Jack had tossed towards her, River took out her cube device, and smiled when she saw the readings. "I'll be back sooner than you think." She commented, withdrawing her vortex manipulator. "See you soon!"

And then she disappeared in a flash of light.

"Doctor, I don't understand your plan." Jack told him after she'd gone, making his way towards him. "What's so important about the 26th of June?"

As Jack reached his side, the Doctor eventually accepted defeat, and leant his weight on his friend, now needing his support as the pain of his injuries intensified. "Don't you remember what I showed you, in your mind? That's the day that my enemies began this plan, and it's the safest day I can take Amy to. It'll also take that amount of time to restore the time energy into her blood. And most importantly, on that day, there are no cracks in time."

"But what will happen to Amy in those two thousand years? Will she just remain unconscious in the Pandorica?"

At the Doctor's weary nod, Jack frowned. "But who will look after her? Who will ensure the Pandorica will come to no harm?" He demanded, and the Doctor closed his eyes resignedly.

"I would do it, but I'm going to die or regenerate in a matter of minutes, and I can't afford to do either of those." The Doctor whispered. "I thought maybe the Autons could do it. They love her, despite what they've done."

"_Despite what they've done_?" Jack echoed angrily. "They nearly killed Amy! How can you even trust them with her?"

But the Doctor couldn't reply, not able to tell Jack of their true identities for fear of harming him.

Interpreting his silence as indecision, Jack turned his gaze on Amy. Seeing her so wounded hurt him, but also gave him strength, and he silently vowed that he'd never let anything else happen to her, or to the Doctor. And with his vow came the realisation that he was the only person that could look after Amy for that period of time. "Doctor, I'll do it." He declared. "I'll guard the Pandorica. I will be able to look after Amy, better than anyone else could."

The Doctor was stunned at Jack's affirmation, but also touched. "Jack...that's a big responsibility...and it's for two thousand years. Do you really think that you could-"

"-Without a doubt." Jack said firmly, and there was no questioning the fierce determination burning in his eyes. The Doctor recognised the feeling immediately, having felt it himself, and witnessed it whenever he sat with the Face of Boe. Jack was slowly growing up to be the finest being in the Universe, and that gave the Doctor great comfort, knowing that Amy would come to no harm under his guard.

"Thank you Jack." The Doctor whispered, knowing that no other words would express his gratitude more than those three.

Jack understood though, and he gave the Doctor a brilliant smile in return.

Suddenly, the familiar sound of the TARDIS engines filtered through the air, and the Doctor couldn't help but smile that River had chosen to leave the brakes on like he did, so that they'd know when she was here.

When the TARDIS landed, River immediately stepped out, looking relieved when she saw the Doctor was still standing on his feet, with the help of Jack. "The TARDIS is set to fly straight to the 26th of June." She told them, nodding towards the time machine. "Would you like me to seal the Pandorica?"

"I'll do it." The Doctor said, reaching carefully into his pocket to take out his sonic screwdriver. "I need to give Amy a psychic message for when she wakes up." He released his hold on Jack, ignoring his friend's pleas to help him walk over to the Pandorica, and began to move towards Amy. "Jack, could you wake Hannah and Rory and help them into the TARDIS?"

"You want the Autons to travel with you?" Jack cried incredulously. "No way in Hell!"

"They're my friends, and they're not Autons anymore. Scan them yourself if you don't believe me." The Doctor replied tiredly, finally reaching the Pandorica, and he leaned against it, watching as Jack took Amy's sonic from River and proceeded to scan Rory and Hannah.

Seeing that the Doctor was right, Jack sighed in resignation. "You're sure?" He asked him one last time, pocketing the sonic.

At the Doctor's weary, but firm "Yes", Jack kneeled beside Rory, and shook him vigorously to wake him up.

Rory suddenly jolted upright, and Jack immediately moved away to wake Hannah next.

"Doctor?" Rory whispered, seeing him propped up against the Pandorica. "Doctor, I'm so sorry! I didn't...I couldn't-"

"Rory, enough." The Doctor said gently, holding up his hand. "I know it wasn't your fault. None of this was your fault. Please don't mention it again. Just get inside the TARDIS."

But Rory began to shake his head adamantly, his anguish too great, and the Doctor knew he wouldn't forgive or forget what he'd done. "Doctor, this was my fault! I stabbed you...and..." Then he trailed off, suddenly seeing Amy inside of the Pandorica. "I...shot Amy...and I can't-"

"-Rory!" The Doctor snapped, interrupting his friend's tirade. "Don't work yourself up! We don't have time for this! Get inside of the TARDIS, and River will explain everything to you. Now go!"

Even Rory, as guilty as he felt, couldn't keep arguing with the Doctor, especially seeing the state he was in, and recognising that if their conversation continued, his health would worsen. So after one last, sorrowful glance in Amy and the Doctor's direction, Rory rose to his feet, and hurried into the TARDIS.

Hannah, who had awoken during their conversation, also gave the Doctor, the same, grief-stricken look, before following her husband inside of the TARDIS, River shutting the doors behind them to give the Doctor and Jack the privacy to talk without them hearing.

"The Pandorica is fixed to this location." The Doctor told Jack, scanning the prison with his sonic screwdriver. "It cannot be moved more than a mile from this point. I'm certain River has already attached the TARDIS to the Pandorica so that we will be able to locate you as quickly as we can in two thousand years time."

"Do you think your enemies will try to take Amy again?" Jack asked him, worriedly looking around their surroundings, although nothing was there.

"No. They got what they accomplished." The Doctor told him jadedly. "I can't live for much longer outside of the Pandorica, and they know that. You should both stay safe. But just in case, Amy's sonic has a force field setting, that you can use to encase yourself and the Pandorica in. No enemies would be able to touch you, or destroy that force field."

"What about you?" Jack whispered, noticing that the Doctor hadn't mentioned how he was going to stay safe, and prevent himself from dying.

"The TARDIS has medicine that will soothe the pain of my injuries, and keep them from killing me." The Doctor replied, smiling wryly. "I can hold on for a bit longer. But not forever. I may have to return to the Pandorica once Amy has healed."

Jack's face grew ashen. "No Doctor, you can't."

"It might be the only way to stay alive. I can't regenerate now, I just _can't_." The Doctor said despairingly.

Jack knew, just like Rory, that conversing like this and trying to disagree with the Doctor could damage his health further, so he didn't reply. Instead, he whispered, "You should say goodbye to Amy before you start to feel worse."

The Doctor nodded slightly, not mentioning that he was already feeling near-death, the constant blood flow of his stab wound weakening his body, and stepped closer to Amy so that he could rest his hands on her cheeks, his fingers touching her temples.

Closing his eyes, and opening their psychic bond, he began to speak to her, knowing that she wouldn't hear his words for another two thousand years.

_Amy, I'm so sorry for everything that's happened. _He began. _I know you don't understand everything, and I don't either, but I promise you that you will awaken, safe and unharmed, and so will our daughter. I'm sorry that I couldn't stay, but I'm positive that Jack is a better guard than I could ever be. _

He had to pause then, knowing just how truthful those last words were. He'd failed to protect both her and their unborn daughter, and he knew that everything that had happened to them was his fault. But he refused to dwell on that now, knowing that more important things were at stake.

_I'll be with you as soon as I can, my love. I'm sorry._

He ended the message with tears burning beneath his eyelids, and he kissed her forehead, resting there for a moment, savouring her for one last time before he had to seal her inside the prison that was meant for him.

"Doctor," Jack said quietly, "It's time to go."

"I love you Amy." The Doctor whispered, opening his eyes as he removed his hold on her. He then rested his hands on her abdomen, allowing himself to be momentarily comforted by the movement of their unborn daughter.

"Doctor..." Jack said warningly, and the Doctor closed his eyes again, needing to will himself to move away from the Pandorica. When he found the willpower, he stepped backwards, but found he didn't have the strength to close the doors of the Pandorica.

"Jack...could...you..."

He didn't even need to finish before Jack sealed the Pandorica shut, using Amy's sonic screwdriver.

Knowing that he had to leave now, he began to walk towards the TARDIS, needing to hold his side now as the blood flow grew thicker. Jack made his way over to him to help him complete his journey, and this time, the Doctor didn't ignore his help, needing his support more than ever.

"I'll look after her." Jack told him sincerely, and the Doctor managed to give him a small smile.

"I know you will." He whispered, and then Jack embraced his frail friend, mindful that he didn't brush against any of his injuries.

"Goodbye Doctor." Jack murmured, releasing him and backing away towards the Pandorica, taking up his position. "I'll see you soon."

The Doctor nodded, and then River stepped out of the TARDIS to help him inside. "Come along Doctor." She said, with a slight smile, knowing that he tended to use those words to his friends and family.

Accepting the hand that she offered him, the Doctor cast one last look at the Pandorica, before stepping inside of the TARDIS.

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**Next chapter will hopefully answer the questions about the 26th of June, the cracks in time etc etc...and it will be a long one, just so I can end the story on the 68th chapter, haha!**

**Till next time,**

**Hayley xo**


	67. Chapter 67

**A/N: Hey everyone :] This chapter would have been up sooner but I've been working 24/7 so I haven't had the time to get online. But here it is...the second to last chapter. I want to cry just writing that. **

**Finally, all of your questions will be answered, whether they're about the cracks in time...or River's identity. Yes, you heard me right. We find out who she is this chapter. So look out for it, and of course, let me know what you think.**

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The Doctor had predicted that the journey to 2010 would only take ten minutes, but he had to recalculate when he saw River's fast piloting, realising that it would only take seven and a half minutes instead.

Focusing on the flight kept him from thinking about his injuries. His skin was already beginning to burn, the time energy bursting to be released to heal him. Being in the TARDIS helped though, her psychic waves soothing him and easing him of some discomfort. The medicine he'd taken to prolong his regeneration also seemed to be helping. His bloody injuries had stopped bleeding, at least, and the gashes on his arms were beginning to heal.

He'd tried to make conversation with Rory and Hannah, but they were in a state of shock. Both of them were sitting together on one of the console room chairs, gripping onto each other tightly, and they were both gazing at the Doctor with the same horrified gaze. River had informed them of everything that had happened, and she'd warned them not to try to apologise or talk about the events in the chamber to the Doctor. Therefore, they had nothing to say, so they sat in silence.

The silence though, was beginning to agitate the Doctor, and he shifted in his chair, wincing when the bandage he'd applied to his side rubbed against his stab wound.

Fortunately for him, he noticed River pull down the green lever on the console, and knew that she was about to land the TARDIS. Relieved, he pulled himself to his feet, took one last swig from the medicine bottle that he'd been drinking to numb his pain, and then pocketed it in his ruined tweed jacket. "Found the Pandorica's location?" He asked River, stretching his aching muscles.

"Yes, but it's no longer in the chamber. It's inside of a museum, just under a mile away from it's original location." River told him as she examined the scanner. ""It's just gone past midnight on the 25th of June, so technically, it's the 26th."

"Do you want us to come?" Rory asked quietly, speaking for the first time.

River glanced at the Doctor, knowing that it wasn't her decision to make, and he nodded. "Of course, Roranicus." The Doctor said, giving him a half-hearted smile.

Rory finally cracked a smile at the Roman pun on his name, which relieved the Doctor.

"Let's go." River instructed, and Rory and Hannah stayed back to let the Doctor stumble after her, choosing to take up the rear.

"Any reason as to why we're in the reception of the museum?" The Doctor asked River as they exited the TARDIS, bemused.

"I couldn't get an exact reading of the Pandorica's position, so I thought I'd park here so we can find it on the museum map." River replied, pointing at the wall in front of them. "I'm not an amateur, you know."

"Must have taught you well then." The Doctor muttered, and he didn't miss River's small smile at his remark.

She chose not to answer though, and turned her attention to the map. She spotted the location of the Pandorica immediately, even though it wasn't listed under it's name. "Mysterious box, discovered at Stonehenge." She read aloud. "Ground floor, just to the right of us."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" The Doctor commanded, anxious to get to Amy as quickly as possible. He had no idea if she was awake already, or if Jack was still with her. They might not even be there, and that scared him.

Taking out her gun, River led the way into the room on the right, the Doctor disabling the lock and the alarm on the door as they entered. They followed the path through the museum chamber, and when Rory spotted rock samples from Stonehenge, they knew they were close.

And when they rounded the corner, there stood the Pandorica.

The _empty_ Pandorica.

The Doctor's breath caught in his throat, and he froze, horrified.

_No...No!_

Then suddenly, he heard a glorious sound: Jack's laughter.

Stunned, he turned to face his friend, who stepped out from behind one of the columns by the far wall. "About time you showed up." Jack remarked, and once he was out of the shadows, the Doctor noticed that he was dressed in Security uniform. "It's been a while!"

As relaxed as Jack was, it did nothing to soothe the Doctor's anxiety. "Where's Amy?" He demanded, but immediately felt guilty when Jack's elated smile wavered.

"Nice to see you too, Doctor." He muttered, and the Doctor allowed himself a small smile of resignation. Jack had, after all, sacrificed two thousand years of his life for the Doctor, and it wasn't fair to act so dismissive towards him.

"I'm sorry Jack. But Amy-"

"-I know." Jack said, holding up his hand as he cut him off. "You don't need to explain. She's in the toilets behind me, before you ask. She's had a baby sitting on her bladder for two thousand years. Need I say more?"

The Doctor blinked back at him incredulously, but when River, Rory and Hannah began to laugh, he couldn't help but elicit a chuckle, allowing himself to relish the relief and joy of his friends.

However, he soon had to clutch at his side, the pain of his wound intensifying at the swift movement of his rib cage. His laughter dying out triggered the others to halt theirs too, and immediately they surrounded him, offering reassuring words and begging him to rest.

"You're acting like Mother Hens." The Doctor said crossly, waving his free hand impatiently. "I'm fine. I'm not dying yet."

"Yet!" Jack echoed, pained. "I thought...I thought for some reason, that you'd turn up...and be okay." At the Doctor's confused frown, he hastened to continue. "I mean, look at you. If you can-"

He was interrupted by the sound of a door flinging open behind them. "Jack?" Amy's voice called from the other side of the Pandorica, and the Doctor wasn't the only one who grinned, hearing the fervour in her voice. If the strength in her voice was anything to go by, she was fine. "Don't mean to worry you, but..." She trailed off, and the Doctor could almost picture the frown on her face. "Hang on, where the Hell are you?"

Jack met the Doctor's gaze, and he gave him a small nod, silently telling him to respond to her.

"He's with me." The Doctor replied loudly, so that Amy would hear him.

No one missed the sharp intake of breath from the other side of the Pandorica, or the whisper that followed.

"Doctor?"

Suddenly they heard her hurried footsteps, and then she appeared in front of them, her hazel eyes wide in disbelief. The Doctor just had time to check that she was unharmed and back to normal self before she launched herself at him.

Judging from the force of her embrace and the strong heartbeat emitting from her protruding bump, both she and their daughter were healed completely.

Forgetting the pain he was in, the Doctor swept her into his arms, crushing her to him and burying his face in her auburn hair.

"About time you showed up, you bloody idiot." Amy murmured, nuzzling her face against his neck, allowing her tears to trickle onto his skin. She didn't even give him a chance to react before she pulled back, gazing into his stormy, timeless eyes.

"Oh Amy..." The Doctor replied brokenly, at a loss at where to start. He needed to say so much to her, but he didn't have the time. _They_ didn't have the time.

"Don't apologise." Amy whispered, lifting a trembling hand to his cheek, softly caressing the skin underneath his black eye. "Are you okay?"

"Been better." The Doctor muttered, and Amy didn't miss the way his eyes flickered downwards.

Following his gaze, Amy saw his blood smeared on her white clothing, and saw it pulsating out of his open stab wound. Her face immediately drained of colour, and she clutched him to her again, one hand fisted in his ruined tweed jacket, and the other pressed over his wound, trying to stop the blood flow. "What can I do?" She asked him despairingly.

But the Doctor didn't have an answer for her. He met River's gaze, knowing that she'd know what he needed to do, and she immediately approached them, her hands encircling Amy's wrists and ripping her away from the Doctor.

Amy instantly began to fight against her, unwilling to leave the Doctor in the state he was in, and Jack had to help River restrain her.

"What are you doing?" Amy cried, not being able to do anything but watch the Doctor as he staggered into the Pandorica and slumped down on the seat, suddenly out of breath.

"He's dying Amy." River said quietly, and Amy found herself crumpling in her friend's arms.

"Doctor, you can't die." She whispered hoarsely, her voice breaking. "You can't leave us! Doctor, you can't!"

The Doctor could only gaze back at her, knowing that if he spoke, he'd crack, just like her. Instead, he used the last ounce of his strength to open their psychic connection.

_Amy, this prison is the only way I can stay alive. I'm dying, and I don't want to regenerate. Not yet. You need to le-_

_-No! _Amy screamed, and the Doctor physically flinched. _Don't you dare tell me to leave! Don't! I'm staying here, with you!_

The Doctor was about to respond to her, when suddenly, he felt her mind go hazy, and the psychic connection between them began to waver.

He'd felt like this in her mind before, after one of their experiences with the crack in time. The Doctor had already worked out that something else was connected to her mind, but he'd hoped that the connection would be destroyed in the Pandorica.

But it remained. And Amy was still in danger.

"Amy, do you recognise these Romans?" He snapped, his panic threatening to send him over the edge. It was working.

Amy looked taken aback at the dramatic change to their conversation, and she glanced hesitantly over at his Roman friends. "Of course I do, they're the ones from the chamber." She answered immediately, and no one could miss the venom in her tone.

She had no idea that her best friends were standing beside her. Her memory was still being manipulated.

It was only a matter of time before her mind was wiped completely, and Amelia Jessica Pond would be no more.

Anguished, the Doctor beckoned Amy over with his hand, and although she was confused, she approached him anyway, River and Jack flanking her.

"Tell me what's wrong." Amy whispered, sensing his terror, but the Doctor shook his head sadly.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say, before he touched her forehead gently, immediately sending her into a slumber. Jack caught her unconscious form, and the Doctor met Hannah's gaze.

"Jack, lay Amy down on the bench over there, and Hannah, keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't wake up." He commanded. They were both quick to follow his instructions, and Jack joined him once he'd left Amy's side.

"Want to tell us why you just did that?" He demanded. "What's going on now?"

"Amy's dying." The Doctor said bluntly, and Rory inhaled sharply. River and Jack though, remained silent. "Her mind's cracked. Someone else has access to her mind."

While Jack and Rory looked stunned at his admission, River blanched, and the Doctor didn't miss her ashen face. "River, what do you know?" He demanded anxiously.

"Antonium said something...before he died." River whispered numbly. "It was after you were imprisoned, and Amy...well...she lost it. She started clawing her skin, and mumbling to herself." She broke off to close her eyes, unable to look at the Doctor's grief-stricken face any longer. "Antonium said that she was going insane...and Amy...she said that 'they were in here'." She paused again to draw in a shaky breath, and finally found the strength to open her eyes. "I thought she might have been talking about the chamber...but..."

The Doctor held up his hand, and River stopped, grateful for the interruption. "It's got to be the Daleks." He whispered. "They've been planning this, right from the start. Probably when I crash-landed in her garden when she was seven. I think the TARDIS was lured there." He broke off to laugh bitterly. "The crack in her wall...they must have used it to form the connection in her mind. They kept an eye on her, for years, waiting for me to return. Forming a trap for me using my future companion...and now she's my wife, and mother to my unborn child. They must be so pleased with themselves."

Defeated now, the Doctor bowed his head. "I can't believe I was so stupid. I can never fault my companions...of course my enemies knew that. And now I find out that my relationship with Amy is a lie! A lie, formed to defeat me. Well, they've succeeded!"

Neither Jack or Rory could form a reply to the Doctor, both of them at a loss as to what to say.

River however, raised her head, and glared at the Doctor fiercely. "Doctor, what you and Amy have isn't a lie!" She cried, and even the Doctor looked bewildered by her outburst. "Yes, you two have been forced together, but the unconditional love you have for each other...you don't know the future, but I do! Even after all of this, you're _together_. Happy. Stupidly happy. Now stop wallowing! We'll save you both."

"But what can I do?" The Doctor asked her desperately. "How can I fix this? There's a crack in her mind...and it wants-"

But he broke off when he suddenly recalled a solution. It was so painstakingly obvious that he cursed himself for not thinking of it earlier.

"The cracks in time...they've never wanted Amy. They only used them to keep an eye on her." He whispered. "They're going to keep appearing, until they've got..._me_."

Now River was lost as well, and the Doctor found all three of his friends staring back at him, all with the same confused expression.

"I don't know where you're going with this." Jack said warily. "But I'm scared, I know that."

"Think about it! The light wipes you from existence! That's what the Daleks want!"

He expected at least one of them to realise where he was going with his theory, but his friends still looked bewildered.

"The Daleks _knew_ that I'd find some way out of the Pandorica. I always escape from a trap." The Doctor told them earnestly. "Why aren't they here? They knew I'd end up at this solution eventually. There's only one way I can go now."

Finally, it dawned on River, and her face whitened. "No Doctor...no." She breathed, beginning to shake her head rhythmically. "I won't let you..._no_!"

"Can someone please explain what's going on!" Jack snapped, River's panic igniting his frustration. "Because I still don't understand!"

The Doctor gazed at River solemnly, leaving it up to her to explain.

"He's going to go into the light." She whispered, stricken. "And let himself be removed from existence. That way, the cracks in time disappear, the connection in Amy's mind is removed, and everyone returns to their normal lives, on the day this all began..._today_."

"But this was the day that Amy and I were supposed to get married!" Rory hissed.

"Yep." The Doctor said distractedly, scanning their surroundings for any signs of a crack in time forming near them. "You could also call it D-Day. For me anyway."

"I refuse to let you do this!" Jack exclaimed, glaring at him. "No way. Over my dead body."

"That point's moot." The Doctor said tiredly, and to everyone's surprise, he rolled his eyes. "Don't you see? _Can't _you see?"

His friend's mystified expressions answered his question, and he sighed. "You've clearly missed the problem in the Dalek's plan. Think about it...really..._think_!"

This time, it was Jack who realised, and his lips slowly curved into a smirk. "That's one hell of a risk, but I don't doubt Amy's love for you." He muttered cryptically, and both River and Rory frowned.

"What is it?" River demanded. "Tell us!"

"The Daleks never expected Amy to fall pregnant with my child, given my lack of romance with my previous companions." The Doctor told them. "So they never expected Amy to form a psychic connection of her own, with me. When I disappear into the light, I'll be vanquished from all of your memories, but Amy's connection with me will remain."

"If something can be remembered, it can come back." River murmured, and the way she said it made the Doctor think that she was quoting someone. Maybe she was.

The Doctor shot her a tired grin. "Exactly. Amy can bring me back. My life with her will simply be a story in her mind, but if there's one person I trust explicitly, it's my Amelia. She can bring me home."

"But what about your injuries?" Rory enquired, asking the most sensible question as his eyes flickered guiltily to the stab wound that he'd inflicted.

"The light will remove all traces of injury. I won't exist, after all." The Doctor replied wryly. "Listen, when a crack in time appears here - and trust me, it will - I want you all to leave me here. Leave the TARDIS too. Just run. Take Amy, and get out of here. You'll soon wake up on this day, and all of this will be over."

"What about Hannah? Amy's parents? Alonzo?" Rory demanded. "Hannah's my wife! And if we remain in 2010, I'll never have met her!"

"Rory, do you trust me?" The Doctor asked him suddenly, and although Rory was surprised, he answered immediately.

"Of course. With my life."

"Then know that Amy will bring Hannah home too. You love and trust her just as much as we all do. Have faith." The Doctor said kindly.

Rory, and even Jack began to look reassured, but River couldn't begin to feel some relief. Not yet.

The Doctor could sense her doubt, and he quickly sent Rory and Jack away to join Hannah and Amy, leaving them alone to talk.

"Doctor, this is a big gamble." River murmured, her eyes downcast. "I don't think I can let you do it."

"River, trust me." The Doctor whispered, and River raised her head to meet his sincere gaze.

"A bit of a role reversal, normally I'm the one that requires your trust." She said quietly. "Doctor...what if this doesn't work? We can't lose you..._I_ can't lose you."

Smiling tenderly at her, the Doctor offered her his hand, and she grasped it gratefully, needing some of his courage, for once. "This is my fault, you know." She admitted softly, and the Doctor frowned. Before he could question her, River continued. "You told me that I'd killed the greatest man I'd ever known. And it's true. I'm killing you. I'm the one that led you and Amy to Vincent. I'm the reason why all of this happened."

The Doctor remained silent for a moment, before he grinned, startling her. "Oh River, this would have happened, whether you'd been here or not." He said lightly, trying to ease her of her guilt. "If you hadn't helped me, we'd all be dead. I don't doubt that. You've helped save us, River Song."

Suddenly, he flipped her wrist over, smiling affectionately as he caught sight of the small tattoo etched on her skin.

With a gasp, River quickly covered it with her free hand, and the Doctor chuckled, amused. "River, I've seen it before." He told her gently. "I know I wasn't supposed to see it, but I have. And now I know who you are. Think I can't spot a Galifreyan adoption stamp when I see one?"

River's face instantly crumpled, and the Doctor was stunned to see his adopted daughter, who was normally so strong, and so powerful, break down in front of him. "I love you." She whispered, raising his hand and pressing it to her cheek. "I love you so much...Dad."

"Just goes to show...blood is never thicker than water." The Doctor whispered, and River laughed through her tears. "So, will you let me leave now?"

Gazing into his timeless eyes, she nodded slowly. "Of course. I know you'll come back." She murmured, smiling slightly. "Do you want me to go and wake Amy? I know you'll want to say goodbye to her."

"Please." The Doctor whispered, and River released his hand, giving him a heart-felt smile over her shoulder as she walked away from him.

~I~

The Doctor could do nothing but watch as River and his friends roused Amy from her sleep, still confined to the Pandorica. When she awoke, the Doctor knew immediately that she knew that something was wrong, from everyone's drawn expressions. She met his gaze from across the chamber, and then bolted towards him, not allowing her pregnancy to slow her down.

"Doctor, what's going on?" She demanded the moment she reached him, and at the Doctor's sad smile, her brow furrowed. "Why does everyone look so worried?" She continued, her voice quieter now.

Although the Pandorica was keeping him alive, the Doctor couldn't say goodbye to Amy with so much distance between them. So he struggled to his feet, and left his prison, knowing he had enough time to see her off without dying, or regenerating.

"I'm about to do something that our friends think is a huge risk." The Doctor told her honestly, unable to tell her more than that without endangering her mind. He rested his hands gently on her shoulders, and Amy pressed closer to him, her arms sliding around his neck.

"What are you going to do?" She whispered fearfully, and the Doctor smiled slightly.

"I can't tell you that." He whispered, his hands moving to the soft curve of her belly, his smile growing when he felt his daughter react to his touch.

Amy's hazel eyes filled with tears. "But...you can't...you need to tell me! I'm your wife!"

"Amy, if I told you that the truth would kill you, would you stop asking questions?" He asked her tiredly, his arms encircling her waist to draw her body closer to his.

Amy blinked in confusion, but she nodded her head adamantly.

"Good. So stop asking questions." The Doctor murmured, pressing his lips to her forehead, revelling in her embrace for one last time.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Amy asked him quietly, brushing his fringe away from his forehead so she could gaze earnestly into his eyes. "In fact, you don't need to say anything. I know. I can feel it." Sliding her hands down to his chest, she placed her hands over his beating hearts.

The Doctor immediately placed his hands over hers, and pulled them away from his chest so that he could lace their fingers together. "You're going to be leaving in a moment. River, Jack and my Roman friends will look after you."

Amy blinked again, to dispel the tears that were threatening to spill. "But what about you?"

"I'm...needed here." The Doctor said softly. "But I'll be with you soon, my love. I don't doubt that."

Now the tears that Amy had managed to withhold were falling freely, and the Doctor immediately began to kiss them away as they slid down her cheeks. "I'll...I'll stay with you."

She felt the Doctor smile against her skin. "You can't." He whispered, leaning back to gaze at her. "Goodbye Amy."

"No!" She cried, fisting her hands in his tweed jacket, unable to let him go. "I can't leave you!"

"But you need to." The Doctor said softly, his mouth curving up into a loving smile. "I need you to leave...so you can bring me home."

Amy let out a sob of frustration, and she began to shake her head, not allowing her husband's reassuring tone to soothe her - or change her mind. "I don't...I don't understand." She finally whispered.

"You'll know everything. Soon." The Doctor told her quietly, bringing his hands up to cup her face.

As he leaned in to kiss her, Amy's eyes fluttered closed, and she wove her hands into his hair, determined to keep him within her embrace.

But all too soon, the Doctor broke the kiss, and rested his forehead against hers. "Gotcha." He whispered.

"Come along Pond." They heard Jack murmur, and he suddenly appeared at their side.

Amy's instincts were still telling her to lash out and refuse to leave, but something in the Doctor's eyes was silently begging her to leave him. She understood his plea, but not the cause. She wasn't happy to be leaving him, but she trusted and loved him enough to follow his wishes.

So with a heavy heart, she allowed Jack to guide her out of the chamber, River and the Romans following after them.

~I~

The moment they were outside of the museum, the ground beneath their feet began to rumble, and Jack immediately scooped Amy into his arms and began to sprint away from the building.

"Is that...is the museum going to collapse?" Amy asked wildly, her eyes widening in horror. "But...the Doctor...we can't leave him!"

Jack didn't respond, and Amy began to struggle in his arms. "Doctor!" She screamed, unable to tear her gaze away from the trembling building.

Suddenly, a large crack began to form in the brickwork of the museum, and Amy cried out again.

"Almost over." She heard River murmur.

Before she could question her friend's remark, Jack halted suddenly, and lowered her to the ground drowsily.

"So it begins." He muttered tiredly, sinking to the ground. "See you all on the other side...I hope."

Amy could only watch helplessly as River and the Romans joined Jack on the ground, and suddenly, she found herself being pulled under, collapsing on the ground beside them.

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**Just the epilogue to go now :) And then...well. That's a surprise ;) All will be revealed in my A/N next chapter!**

**Hayley xo**


	68. Chapter 68

**A/N: I hope this lives up to all of your expectations. Poured my heart into the next 11,000 words...Amy and the Doctor just give me so many feels!**

**Long-ass Author's note at the end...and I think you'll want to read it ;)**

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Mornings in Leadworth tended to be dreary, the sky nearly always covered by an expanse of clouds, so Amy was pleasantly surprised to awaken on her wedding day to sunlight filtering through the pale blue of her bedroom curtains.

Instinctively, her hand reached out to the other side of the bed, searching for something..._someone_...

Only to realise she was alone.

Sitting up with a start, she looked around frantically. Something was amiss, and she couldn't quite place it.

And then she remembered. Rory was at his parent's house. He hadn't wanted them to be together on the night before their wedding, choosing to follow tradition.

Sighing, she climbed out of bed as gracefully as she could, not too easy when nine months pregnant. Why they were getting married so late into her pregnancy confused her. Knowing her luck, she'd go into labour in the middle of their vows.

Picking up her phone, she decided to call Rory, just to check that he was okay this morning, and not recovering from an almighty hangover from his stag do the night before.

He answered on the first ring.

"Hello Pond!" Rory greeted her cheerfully, and Amy felt a pang in her heart at his phrase, but couldn't quite understand why. "You alright this morning?"

"I should be asking you that question, mister!" Amy replied, pushing her unease aside. "Did you get drunk last night?"

There was a slight pause from Rory, and then he sighed into the phone. "Well...I can barely remember last night to be honest. But I know I wasn't drunk. I do feel a bit funny, but that's because I didn't have a good night's sleep."

"Oh yeah?" Amy questioned, sitting down heavily on her desk chair. "Bad dreams?"

"Strange dreams." Rory paused again, and Amy could tell that something was on his mind.

"Spill it Williams." She demanded playfully, though there was an edge of seriousness to her voice.

Rory chuckled, but it was only faint. "I kept having dreams about...well...this man." When he heard Amy inhale sharply, he hastened to continue. "I swear it's nothing...you know...sexual or anything. It's just weird."

Suddenly, Amy couldn't breathe. It was as if the air around her had been ripped away. Stunned, she looked into the mirror on top of her desk, and was bewildered to see her face ashen, and wet with tears.

She'd been having dreams too. Oh the dreams she'd had. So vivid, _so real_. About one man, a man who didn't even exist.

"I've been having strange dreams too." She finally whispered. "Do you think it means something?"

"I don't know." Rory replied quietly, sounding like he was deep in thought.

Amy glanced at her reflection again, and shook her head at herself. Putting it down to hormones, she impatiently brushed her tears away. "Oh well. Doesn't matter." She said, trying to sound stronger than she actually felt. "We have a wedding to get ready for!"

"That we do. Very exciting stuff." But Rory's voice sounded anything but excited.

Amy felt the same way. "See you at the altar." She told him, her tone mirroring his. Just uttering those words filled her with an emotion that she couldn't place.

It just felt...wrong. That's the only word she could think of to describe how she was feeling.

"See you."

And then Rory hung up. No 'I love you's. No other words of affection, or love. Just a 'see you'.

That should have upset her. But it felt...fitting.

This man was going to be her husband. And she loved him, oh how she loved him. But she wasn't in love with him.

But she loved him enough not to break his heart. She'd marry him, be his wife, look after him.

If there was a man that she had to choose to spend the rest of her life with, it would be Rory Williams. He was the best man in her life. He just wasn't a man that she had passion for, who _excited_ her.

No man on Earth could be her perfect match. Except _him_, a figment of her imagination.

Shaking her head to rid herself of her thoughts, she rose to her feet, and began her descent downstairs.

~I~

Walking into her living room, she gave a start when she saw her Aunt Sharon standing by the mantelpiece.

Just seeing her standing there filled her with inexplicable joy, and she threw herself at her Aunt, embracing her warmly. It felt like she hadn't seen her in years.

"Good morning to you too sunshine!" Her Aunt remarked with a chuckle, pulling back to beam at her niece.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you." Amy responded, grinning back at her.

To her surprise, her Aunt began to frown, and she reached forward to touch her cheek. "Why are you crying? Aren't you excited for your big day, sweetie?"

Upon hearing 'sweetie', Amy felt the sensation from before, and she moved away from her Aunt to sit down on the sofa, feeling lost again.

"Amy?" Sharon whispered anxiously. "Are you okay?"

"Just...nervous. Feel a bit sick." Amy managed to say. "It'll pass."

Sharon eyed her for a moment, and then shook her head. "I'll get your parents."

Suddenly beaming, Amy immediately rose to her feet. "My parents!" She whispered in awe. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten about them...she hadn't even greeted them this morning!

Beating her Aunt to the door, Amy ran through the house to the kitchen, where she saw her parents preparing breakfast. They must have heard her enter, because they both looked up, bright smiles on their faces.

And just like with her Aunt, Amy felt so happy, and she ran into their open arms, crying again. This time, she knew they were happy tears.

Once Amy pulled away, both of her parents asked her how she was feeling, but she brushed their questions aside, just wanting to sit down for breakfast with them and her Aunt, and enjoy being a family.

When they were all seated and the breakfast had been served, Amy found herself gazing at the chair beside her as they ate. Her father was at the head, her Aunt and mother were on the other side of the table, leaving the seat beside her empty.

It felt like someone was missing. Like someone should be sitting beside her, laughing and chatting happily to her family.

She knew that the person beside her should be Rory, but her heart didn't fully believe that.

Suddenly, remnants of one of her dreams about _him_ drifted into her mind.

_"Now, seeing as you two have been stuck inside a box for three days, you better eat!" Sharon told them, opening her freezer and shovelling frozen food onto the kitchen side. The Doctor's face lit up when Sharon pulled out a box of fish fingers, and Amy groaned again._

_"The TARDIS is bigger on the inside, how many times do I have to tell you?" She sighed. "And there's a kitchen in there too!"_

_Before she could explain that time passed quicker inside of the TARDIS, the Doctor shook his head frantically at her. Amy frowned in confusion, and the Doctor whispered, "I haven't had a home-cooked meal for ages. Let her cook for us!"_

Amy shivered slightly as she finished recalling her dream, and then forgot about it as she dug into her breakfast. It felt like she hadn't eaten for hundreds of years.

~I~

River didn't know how long she'd been in the church for, but it felt like hours. Rory and his parents were talking to the guests in the pews, and so far he hadn't seen her and Jack sitting on the opposite side of the church to him. It was only a matter of time before he did though. And then he'd remember his real life.

"This is so dull." Jack muttered from beside her, slumping down in his seat. "Nothing like preparing for the Doctor's. We had a right laugh. But _this_. Jeez! This church isn't even as nice as the one Amy and the Doctor got married in."

"I wouldn't know, as I wasn't invited." River said distractedly, still gazing at Rory, willing him to look around at them.

"Yeah well, none of us knew who you were then." Jack replied quickly, not wanting to upset her. "Doesn't matter anyway. I'm sure Amy and the Doctor will renew their vows in the future when they get bored."

When River smiled, he knew that he had guessed at the future...correctly. "Bless 'em!" He said with a chuckle. "Do I stand in as a Vicar again? Tell me that I do!"

River tore her gaze away from Rory momentarily to tap his nose playfully. "Spoilers!" She exclaimed, laughing at Jack's scowl.

"Well, if I wasn't, I damn well will be!" He hissed. "I'm the best man for the job."

River shook her head in mock-exasperation, and then returned to watching Rory.

"Wish Amy would get here and remember the Doctor already." Jack sighed, changing the subject, knowing that River wouldn't reveal anything. "I want - no, I _need_ to see Alonzo. I can't believe I forgot about him! Thank God you turned up when you did and helped me remember. Cheers for that, by the way."

"You're very welcome." River murmured. "Now, could you stare at Rory for me? He might sense two of us watching him."

"That's your plan?" Jack demanded incredulously, rolling his eyes. "Stupid."

"What would you suggest then?"

"This."

Rising to his feet, Jack picked up his chair, and threw it across the church, sending it into one of the columns.

The church suddenly quietened, and Rory spun around, his eyes widening when he spotted Jack and River grinning at him.

"I think he's remembered." Jack remarked, as Rory bolted towards them, his face bright with joy.

~I~

After Amy had arrived at the church, and after her father had helped her out of the car, she found herself frowning at her surroundings.

This church wasn't the right one. She thought she was getting married in the church her Aunt had gotten married in, the one with the manicured gardens and the crystalline lake outside, but instead she was at the Leadworth Church.

Her Aunt noticed her confusion, and quickly walked over to her. "What's wrong now Amy?" She asked her quietly, so Augustus and Tabetha didn't overhear.

"I thought I was getting married at the Church you got married in." She whispered, worried. "Why are we here?"

Her Aunt gave her a funny look. "Sweetie, we couldn't have your wedding there because they're fully booked until 2011, remember?"

Amy quickly nodded her head, pretending that she did, when in reality she couldn't remember it at all. But the other church seemed so _familiar_...

~I~

_Opening her eyes, Amy expected the Doctor to still be laying beside her as they basked in the rays of the second sun of Technia, but he wasn't beside her._

_Sitting up, she noticed him standing a couple of metres away from her on the edge of the cliff they were on, looking down at the beach below. _

_Rising to her feet, she began to walk over to him. The Doctor must have heard her approaching, for he turned his head slightly to give her a small smile, before returning his gaze to whatever he was watching._

_"What's on your mind, monkey boy?" Amy asked him gently, taking his hand once she was at his side, and looking at him questioningly. _

_"Look down there." The Doctor murmured, nodding down at the beach below. Amy followed his gaze, and saw a wedding taking place. The arch the bride and groom were standing under was constructed of blue and purple flowers, and the aisle was littered with petals from them. The bride wore the same flowers in her hair, and the guests were dressed in the same colours of the flowers as well. Amy couldn't hear their celebration, but everyone was laughing, and the bride and groom appeared to be joking around with each other, looking completely at ease._

_"Do you wish our wedding had been like that?" The Doctor asked her quietly, almost sadly, and Amy tore her gaze away from the wedding to stare at him in shock._

_"Of course not!" She replied immediately, aghast. "Our wedding was perfect. I wouldn't have changed it for anything."_

_When the Doctor didn't respond, Amy narrowed her eyes at him. "Weren't you happy with it then?"_

_Now it was the Doctor's turn to look horrified. "What? Of course I was! I just thought that you might have wanted something a bit more...informal. A bit more alien." _

_"I have my alien right here." Amy said fondly, pressing her hand to his cheek. "Look, our wedding day was the best day of my life. Sharon's Church was the perfect location. It was like she was still with us."_

_Upon hearing the heartache in Amy's voice, the Doctor released her hand to wrap both of his arms around her, clutching her tightly to him. Amy wound both of her arms around his neck, pressing her face into his scratchy, yet oh-so familiar tweed covered shoulder. _

_"Gotcha." The Doctor whispered, kissing the top of her sunlit auburn hair, and Amy smiled, before pulling back to gaze at him._

_"So no regrets?" She questioned, returning to their original topic of conversation._

_The Doctor's answering smile was dazzling. "No regrets." _

_And then to Amy's delight, he picked her up from the ground and twirled her around in the air, beaming. _

~I~

At the sound of the organ playing the traditional wedding march, Amy snapped out of the memories of her dream, and tried to focus on walking up the aisle towards Rory. She had no recollection of her father even escorting her into the church; she'd been so engrossed in the recollection of her dreams.

She tried to concentrate on walking, but she faltered, suddenly drained of energy. Why were her memories so visual? Why did they feel so _real_?

Suddenly, she happened to glance down at her hands, and gasped when she saw an engagement ring and a wedding ring already on her left hand.

_How...when?_

And then the ground disappeared from under her feet. Her father tried to catch her, but failed. He tried to rouse her, to get her standing again, to no avail. Amy was no longer in the church. She was lost in her mind, reliving her dreams - _no._

Her real life.

~I~

_Basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking, Amy and the Doctor were curled up on their new bed, having just bought it after their visit to their hospital. _

_"What do you reckon, boy or girl?" The Doctor asked her softly, propping himself up on his elbow as he lay beside her, running his fingers lovingly over the expanse of her small baby bump. _

_Amy laughed, her bliss making her feel light-headed. "No idea. I don't have a preference. As long as our baby is healthy."_

_"And lacking a Time head." Her husband added, laughing when Amy pouted at him. _

_"Shut up you." She muttered, trying to look disgruntled and failing, because she couldn't stop smiling. "I wish I'd never said that now."_

_The Doctor smiled, and leaned down so that he could kiss the soft skin of her abdomen. "I'm glad you did." He murmured against her skin. "Because we found out that we can be together for the rest of time."_

_Amy felt her eyes filling up with tears just remembering how much hearing that meant to the both of them. "I'm so happy." She whispered, beaming, and the Doctor repositioned his body so that he was hovering above her._

_"Me too." He replied, grinning giddily, and he leaned down so that they were nose-to-nose. "I love you Amelia Pond."_

_"I love you too." _

_She then proceeded to whisper his name in Galifreyan, knowing the effect it had on him, and she giggled when the Doctor began to smother her face with kisses._

_She wasn't laughing for long though, as her lips were suddenly occupied. _

~I~

Through a film of tears, Amy stared over at the other side of the church, where River and Jack were standing, watching her anxiously.

"Where is he?" She found herself screaming at them. "Where's the Doctor?"

"Amelia, stop this!" Her father hissed in her ear. "You're making a scene!"

He tried to grab her arm, but Amy shoved him away, sending him stumbling backwards. "No!" She cried, distraught as she staggered to her feet. "You don't understand Dad! I have a husband. He's my raggedy Doctor. My monkey boy. _Mine_!"

"Amelia, no!" Her Dad exclaimed, and he went to approach her, but was suddenly blocked by Rory.

"She's right." He told him firmly. "You'll remember in a second. The Roman camp. Being separated from Amy. Being-"

"-Absorbed by a crack in our daughter's bedroom wall." Augustus whispered, surprising himself, and then his face paled. "How could I have forgotten about that?"

Rory was about to respond, when he noticed Amy suddenly bend over, her arms folded over her stomach. Rushing over to her, he gripped her shoulders tightly, forcing her to look up at him, her frenzied gaze boring into his. "Rory, where's my husband?" She sobbed, still hunched over. "I need him..._we_ need him!"

The way Amy was holding her abdomen panicked Rory immediately. "Amy...are you going into labour?" He demanded, and his words were loud enough for River and Jack to hear, and they hurried over to them.

"No, I'm not!" Amy snapped, pushing her friends away as they tried to help her. "My daughter's just restless. She needs her father!"

"Amy, breathe." River murmured, rubbing her back soothingly. "The Doctor should be here. Soon."

"How soon?" Amy whispered, heartbroken, and River quickly guided her over to one of the empty pews to sit down on before she could collapse. The guests had already began to vacate, their own memories coming back to them.

"I was dead!" They heard Amy's Aunt Sharon exclaim to Amy's parents, but Amy couldn't pay them any attention. Not now. Her true family, her Doctor, was still missing.

"Why did he have to sacrifice himself like that?" She cried, looking up at her friends wildly. "Stupid, bloody idiot!"

"You remember everything?" Jack asked her in amazement.

"Yes, and I also remember everything that I couldn't remember before." Amy responded dully. "So why isn't he here? Tell me!"

"Amy, we know as much as you." Rory said gently, taking a seat beside her so he could embrace her. "Hannah and Alonzo still aren't here either."

Amy immediately dissolved into fresh sobs, beginning to think that it was hopeless. The Doctor had fixed the Universe, saved them all, but he hadn't been able to protect himself.

~I~

Soon the church was empty, save for Amy and her family, Rory, River and Jack. They'd now been waiting for an hour for the Doctor to arrive, and there was still no sign of him.

"We must be able to do something." Jack sighed, running his hand through his hair, agitated. "We shouldn't just sit here! Maybe we should send out a search party?"

"And what if he's lying unconscious somewhere?" River demanded. "You know there are billions of aliens that would love to get their hands on him. We can't take the risk of someone else finding him before we do."

Upon hearing those words, Amy suddenly rose to her feet, and stormed out of the church, unable to be surrounded by the unbearable, tense atmosphere any longer. An idea had struck her, and she needed to concentrate.

She heard footsteps walking after her as she left the church, but then heard River tell whoever it was to let her be alone for a moment.

Walking out onto the grass outside, Amy turned her gaze to the sky, and took a deep breath.

"Okay Doctor, you're still not here, and quite frankly, I'm running out of time." She whispered. "I don't mean to trouble you, but I think I'm going to go into labour soon, if the pressure I'm feeling is anything to go by."

She paused to wipe a stray tear from her eye. "So get your butt down here, pronto, okay? Look, I'm going to try something. I just hope it's enough."

Closing her eyes, she emptied her mind of her anxiety, to conjure up her memories of her life with the Doctor. Pressing her fingers to her temples, she allowed the images to flood her mind, overtaking her senses. She had to lose herself in him, and bring him to life in her mind.

_His soft, brown hair. His grey, timeless eyes that gleamed with vitality. His strong jaw. The ridiculous tweed jacket and bow-tie ensemble. His pinstriped shirts. His worn boots, his thin shoelaces. _

_The soft skin of his back underneath her fingertips. The planes of his chest. The beauty mark on his right thigh. His long, lean legs._

_His endearing laugh. That annoying smirk he gave her when he was proven right. The adoring way he'd gazed at her when she walked up the aisle towards him. His heated gaze. The way he stared into her eyes as they made love. _

_The way his face lit up when they travelled to extraordinary places. The endless commentary that accompanied it. His exaggerated hand gestures. The way he danced around the console. The way he bickered with his TARDIS. _

_The way he touched her. Gentle. Raw. The way he ignited a fire within her. His need for her. Her need for him._

_The way he caressed the skin of her abdomen when they'd discovered she was pregnant. The way he kissed her small bump every night before they fell asleep. _

Opening her eyes, Amy returned her gaze to the blue sky above. "You have to come back Doctor." She whispered. "We haven't had enough time together. Don't let this be the end."

She waited for a few minutes, expecting the TARDIS to appear in front of her, but when nothing happened, her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she began to walk dejectedly towards the church.

All of a sudden, there was a large, continuous gust of wind, billowing her dress, and sending her veil flying away.

And then the most beautiful sound.

The TARDIS engines.

Amy vaguely heard exclamations of the Doctor's name from inside of the church, and then she was no longer alone outside; her friends and family had joined her.

"About bloody time!" Jack exclaimed, grinning as he wrapped Amy up in a tight hug. "Did you do something?"

But Amy couldn't share in his happiness just yet. She wouldn't, until the Doctor was standing in front of her. "I just thought about him." She whispered. "I guess...it worked."

Suddenly there was a flash of light in the sky, and then the TARDIS appeared out of nowhere. It zoomed towards them, spinning crazily in the air, before crash-landing a few metres away from them, skidding to a stop.

Immediately, everyone charged towards the TARDIS, Amy in the lead, all bellowing the Doctor's name, and calling out for Hannah and Alonzo as well.

And then the TARDIS doors flew open, and Alonzo and Hannah stumbled out, both looking slightly dazed from their rapid descent.

They were immediately embraced by Rory and Jack, and they all had tears in their eyes, incredibly relieved that everything was over, and that they were reunited.

But the Doctor didn't emerge.

Distraught, Amy whirled around to face Alonzo and Hannah. "Where's the Doctor?" She cried, her voice verging on hysteria. "Is he inside? Did you see him?"

Hannah and Alonzo looked at each other sorrowfully, and then they both turned to look at her, sympathy in their eyes. "Amy, the Doctor wasn't in the console room with us." Hannah admitted quietly, biting her lip. "We haven't seen him."

River gasped quietly behind her, but Amy couldn't react. She could only stare back at Hannah, her grief freezing her body. "But...he has to be in there." She whispered numbly. "The TARDIS...he must have been flying the TARDIS. She needs him..._I need him!_"

"I think you'll find that my ship flew herself here. Couldn't wait to be reunited with you again." A voice spoke up from inside of the TARDIS, and suddenly the Doctor stepped out, his mouth curving up into a soft smile, looking no different from the last time she'd seen him, save for his injuries, which had vanished. "I was in the medical bay, making sure I was fully healed and not about to regenerate. I'm fine, before you ask."

"You're bloody late, as always."

The words tumbled out of Amy's mouth before she could even think about what she was saying, the grief that had built up within her over the course of the day still affecting her.

But to her relief, the Doctor shot her a dazzling smile. "But not twelve years late this time."

A sob escaped from Amy before she could stop it, and then she was running towards him, and he met her halfway. His arms immediately encircled her, clutching her to him, and Amy ran her hands all over him, ensuring that he was there, _that he was real_.

He was whispering his love for her reverently, his face buried in her auburn hair, but she could scarcely hear him over her exultant cries. The grief she'd felt earlier had been replaced with elation, her heart almost hurting from how happy she felt.

"I could just slap you for sacrificing yourself like that." Amy found herself whispering, and then she pulled back to shove at his chest. "Don't do that to me again, okay?"

"I promise." The Doctor replied instantly, his grey eyes shining from the integrity of his words. "But you understand why I had to do it, don't you? I had to save you."

"I know." Amy murmured, latching onto him and pulling him into her embrace again, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "And I love you for that. But it was stupid."

This time it was the Doctor that pulled back to gaze at her. "Forgive me?" He asked her softly, and he almost looked worried.

"Of course I do, monkey boy."

Stunned, the Doctor blinked in surprise. He hadn't heard her use that nickname in a long time. And as much as he used to hate it, it delighted him to hear it now, knowing that everything was back to normal.

They could _finally_ go back to being Amy and the Doctor, travelling the Universe together. Yes, there would still be threats out there, and yes, they would have a daughter to raise, but the Doctor knew he could protect his family, with the help of his friends.

As he gazed into Amy's eyes, he knew that she was thinking along the same lines as him, and he could sense that she mirrored his feelings. At this very moment, they were complete.

_I love you._

_I love you too._

Seizing the lapels of his still ruined tweed jacket, Amy pulled him towards her, their mouths fusing together. The Doctor raised his hands to tenderly cradle her face, securing her lips to his.

But as soon as their kiss began, the Doctor was yanked out of her arms by Jack, who swept his best friend into a hug. "You two can do that later, but right now, I think you need to let us thank you!" He remarked, before placing the Doctor back on his feet, only for River to leap at him, hugging him tightly to her.

"Don't scare me like that again!" She hissed, pulling back to swat at him. Amy could only watch in amazement as the Doctor grinned back at her, and then kissed the top of her head affectionately.

Amy felt her eyes narrow, and she wondered why the Doctor and River were suddenly so close. She didn't dwell on it for long though, distracted by the sight of her parents and her Aunt throwing their arms around the Doctor, and she couldn't help but chuckle at his astounded expression.

"Think it must be my turn!" Hannah piped up, and the Doctor untangled himself from Amy's family to embrace her.

"We're sorry for what we did to you." She murmured in his ear, and the Doctor pulled back to give her a reassuring smile.

"Don't apologise. I know it wasn't you." He then looked over at Rory, who was staring down at the floor guiltily. "Or you, Roranicus. Now forget about it."

"How can I forget about it when I can see the blood from where I stabbed you?" Rory whispered, anguished, and Amy felt her heart pang with sadness. She remembered it all so well, despite not knowing his true identity at the time.

Slowly, the Doctor approached Rory, and waited until he met his gaze. Amy could see the anguish in Rory's eyes even from where she was, and knew how bad he felt.

The Doctor gazed at him for a moment, and then placed his hands firmly on his friend's shoulders. "I. Forgive. You. Look, you weren't yourself. You were something else entirely. Definitely not the compassionate, intelligent man I see standing before me. But you're back. I'm alive, and so is Amy. Now, forgive yourself. Seeing you so tortured kills me. I know what it's like, to be burdened with guilt..."

The Doctor trailed off, and closed his eyes briefly, not wanting to get emotional while he was trying to calm Rory.

But he didn't have to say anymore, for Rory pulled him into a hug, clapping him on the back.

Pulling back, the Doctor searched Rory's eyes to see if there was any glimmer of self-loathing, but was glad to see that it had cleared.

"Thank you Doctor." Rory whispered, smiling now.

Relieved that their reunions were out of the way, the Doctor glanced over at Amy, who crooked her finger at him, summoning him back to her.

He was at her side in an instant, and she nestled into him. Now that she had him back, she didn't want to let go of him. Rory and Jack shared their sentiment, for they were holding onto their partners tightly too.

"I think we all need a cup of tea." Augustus remarked, rubbing his hands together briskly. "We all deserve one!"

Everyone heartily agreed, and Amy could only look at the Doctor in confusion as he told them they'd fly the TARDIS and meet them there. She knew she couldn't ask him why he wanted to stay in Leadworth for a longer period of time with her family around, so she waited until everyone had began walking away and after the Doctor had guided her into the TARDIS.

They were barely inside the console room when Amy blurted out, "Why are we going to my parent's house?"

The Doctor frowned at her slightly, confused by her question. "Because your father invited us back." He reminded her.

"Yes, I know that...but I...well..." Amy paused, trying to find the right words. "But...why? It's not something we'd normally do. We'd be flying away by now."

And then the Doctor understood. "Oh Pond, you're so like me in many ways." He murmured, resting his hand against her cheek. "We _would_ be far away by now, in any other circumstance. But that's your family Amy, and you haven't been together for years. I thought you might want to stay for a while."

Amy's face softened, knowing that he was willing to sacrifice their life for a chance at normality for her, for once. But that wasn't what she wanted. "That means a lot to me to hear you say that, but I don't think I can stay for more than a day. Leadworth isn't my home. My home is _here_, with you and the TARDIS...and our daughter." She told him softly, laughing when the TARDIS hummed in delight.

"I'm glad you said that, as selfish as that sounds." The Doctor whispered, and Amy turned her head to kiss the palm of his hand. "I think, after we spend the day with our family and friends, you and I need to be alone to talk about everything's that happened."

"I agree." Amy murmured, taking his hand from her face to press his palm against her heart. "And maybe...do other things."

The Doctor caught on to what she was implying immediately, and he laughed. "That's my girl." He said admiringly, before leaning down and kissing her soundly.

Amy smiled, and then leaned in to deepen the kiss, but the Doctor pulled away, grinning at her pout. "None of that now. We need to get changed and rejoin everyone. I don't want you to wear that wedding dress any longer. Come along Pond!"

Giggling, Amy allowed the Doctor to pull her towards the direction of the wardrobe, which the TARDIS had conveniently placed on the ground floor for them, accommodating for Amy's pregnancy.

And much to Amy's exasperation, the TARDIS had also made a brand new tweed jacket for the Doctor.

~I~

Due to how the time passed inside of the TARDIS, they were a couple of hours late to Amy's parents house, but that didn't matter too much, because they'd only missed Augustus, Jack and Rory starting up a barbeque to celebrate getting their real lives back.

Day soon turned into night, and Amy and the Doctor began to grow sleepy. To the amusement of their friends, they were the first couple to retire for bed, going upstairs to Amy's bedroom to fall asleep.

Without changing their clothes, they fell into bed, Amy immediately curling up on her side, the only position she could sleep in while so heavily pregnant. The Doctor cuddled her from behind, their limbs entangled together, and holding onto each other tightly, they drifted off to sleep.

It didn't feel like they'd been sleeping very long when Jack woke them up the next day by banging on Amy's locked door. "Oi! Sleepyheads! It's two in the afternoon! About time you two got up, don't you think?"

"No." Amy found herself muttering, her eyes still closed, and she felt the Doctor tighten his arms around her.

"I could stay in this position forever." He murmured, and Amy's lips curved up into an elated smile.

"Me too." She responded softly, opening her eyes and turning her head to see the Doctor gazing at her tenderly. He inched forward, and their lips met in a gentle kiss.

"Sharon's made you fish fingers and custard, Doctor!" Jack said loudly, and those words were all it took for the Doctor to leap out of the bed, wide awake.

"We're coming down!" He called, retying his bowtie. "Come on Amy, get up!"

Amy could only scowl at him as she raised her body slowly into a sitting position. "Nine months pregnant. Can't move as quickly as you."

The Doctor quirked his eyebrow at her, amused, and Amy laughed, unable to be angry at him.

Chuckling, the Doctor made his way over to her side of the bed, and helped her to her feet. He offered to carry her downstairs, but she wouldn't allow it, so he walked backwards down the stairs instead, holding her hands. Amy thought that was ridiculous, not to mention dangerous, but he insisted that it was the only way to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't fall over.

Before Amy could remind him that if he missed a step, he'd tumble down and probably take her with him, they were safely on the ground floor of her house. They said a brief hello to Rory, Hannah, River, Jack and Alonzo in the living room, before making their way into the kitchen, where Amy's family were sitting at the table.

They sat down with them, and as the Doctor joked around with her Aunt and parents, Amy found herself remembering what she'd thought about yesterday morning when she'd been looking at the empty chair beside her.

The Doctor glanced at her, and noticed her pensive expression. Amy sensed his curiosity, so she opened her mind and showed him what she was feeling yesterday morning; how she'd known someone was missing even before she saw Jack and River in the church.

_Magnificent_. The Doctor murmured psychically, and he beamed at her proudly. _I knew you'd bring me home. _

_Yeah, well, I'm not an ordinary girl, am I? _Amy found herself thinking bitterly, remembering her psychic connection with the Daleks and the way they'd manipulated her life, and her relationship with the Doctor.

The Doctor frowned slightly, reliving her memories with her. _That's the kind of thing we need to talk about. But at the end of the day, my feelings for you are real. No fabrication there. We may have been forced together, but I will never regret my relationship with you._

Amy smiled, feeling better already, and she shifted her chair closer to his, aware that her family were watching them curiously as they gazed into each other's eyes. _And you already know how much I love you. No regrets from me either._

Tenderly, the Doctor tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. _Good. Look, I love the fact that you're not ordinary. Mad, impossible, magnificent Amelia Pond. You shouldn't be anything else. _

_Mad, impossible, magnificent Doctor. You shouldn't be anything else either._

The Doctor laughed aloud, startling Amy's family, and winked at her. _Would it be highly inappropriate to kiss you right now? _

_I don't think any guy would snog their girlfriend or wife in front of her family...but then, you saved all of our lives, and the Universe countless number of times. You deserve a reward. _Grinning, Amy winked back at him. _Kiss me._

_You're all the reward I need. _

The Doctor's response elicited a reaction from Amy immediately, and she was the one who kissed him. If she wasn't nine months pregnant and surrounded by her family, she happily would have taken it further.

Her father coughed, but she didn't pay him any attention. Neither did the Doctor, who was fully distracted by Amy's lips moving against his. They had been apart for two thousand years, after all.

Suddenly, Amy yanked herself out of the Doctor's embrace, her hands flying to her abdomen as a sharp pain crippled her, forcing her to hunch over in her chair. Panicked, her eyes flew to the Doctor's, just as he felt the echo of her pain. His face drained of colour, and Amy gasped as she was hit with another pain...another _contraction._

Her parents were the first to leap into action, and they called out for Rory and Hannah, who quickly came running, already knowing why they were being summoned, River, Alonzo and Jack right behind them. The married nurses were the first ones to reach out to Amy; the Doctor was frozen in his chair, unable to move.

"Have your waters broken?" Hannah asked Amy as she gripped onto her shoulders, helping Amy brace the pain of her contractions.

"No." Amy managed, through gritted teeth.

"Could be Braxton Hicks...false labour." Rory murmured to Hannah, and Amy glared up at him.

"Feels bloody real to me!" She snapped, and her words were enough to shake the Doctor out of his trance. He left his chair, and knelt beside Amy to press his ear to her womb, his hands pulling up her shirt to he could touch her exposed skin.

Before anyone could ask him what he was doing, the Doctor rose out of his position and pointed to Jack and River. "You two, move the TARDIS into the kitchen, and then set the co-ordinates for the Reptala Hospital. The destination is already in the system. Go!"

Jack and River immediately followed his wishes, and they sprinted out of the back door towards the TARDIS, which was parked in the back garden.

"We need to go to the Leadworth Hospital, not this Reptala place." Tabetha insisted, pushing Rory and Hannah aside to kneel next to her daughter, knowing that the Doctor wouldn't leave Amy's other side.

"Oh yes, and when the doctors there realise our daughter has two heartbeats, she'll be taken away from us and dissected." The Doctor said brusquely, and everyone looked at him in horror. Everyone apart from Amy that is, who was in too much pain to react to his words. And, he'd already told her that before.

"Looks like we're going to this Reptala Hospital then." Augustus remarked, trying to sound cheerful. He was excited that he'd see his grandchild soon, but it was hard to show that excitement when his daughter was in pain. And if Amy's, white, grimacing face was anything to go by, she was in an _extraordinary_ amount of pain.

The Doctor's face mirrored hers, feeling her pain along with her, but he could do nothing but hold onto her hands tightly.

"Doctor, am I in labour? Or are these just false contractions?" Amy whispered, choosing to trust her husband's diagnosis over her qualified best friends, knowing that he could feel her contractions along with her.

"They're real alright." The Doctor said quietly, releasing one of Amy's hands to wipe the stray tear away that had began to trickle down her face. "I could feel our daughter moving into position..."

"...But we'd have to look at your cervix though, to see how far you were dilated before we could tell you how far into labour you are." Hannah told them, and the Doctor's gaze lowered to below Amy's stomach.

"Don't even think about it!" Amy hissed, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "We'll wait for Nurse Kelly, thank you very much!"

The Doctor couldn't even protest before the sound of the TARDIS engines filled the air, and his ship landed neatly beside them. Jack was the first one to step out, and to Amy's horror, he pushed out a wheelchair for her.

"No bloody way!" She yelled, but it appeared she didn't have a choice, for the Doctor ignored her and swooped down to pick her up. As he cradled her to his chest and made his way towards the wheelchair, Amy began to hit him with bawled up fists.

"I don't need that now! Save it for when we're in the Hospital!"

Obeying her wishes, the Doctor side-stepped the wheelchair and made his way into the TARDIS, carrying Amy with ease as he stepped up towards the console. Their friends and family quickly piled in behind them, and the Doctor knocked the green lever with his hip, seeing that River had already entered in the Reptala Hospital destination code, and the TARDIS began to fly away from Leadworth.

River offered to fly the ship immediately so that the Doctor could be with Amy during her contractions. He lowered her onto one of the console room chairs, and sat down beside her, his arms wrapped tightly around her as they braced the pain together.

~I~

River's speedy piloting meant that they arrived at the Reptala Hospital in a matter of minutes, and she'd conveniently parked the TARDIS inside of Nurse Kelly's office, giving the Nurse the fright of her life when the ship appeared in front of her.

When the Doctor emerged from the TARDIS, Amy in his arms again, having adamantly refused to get in the wheelchair or be pushed out on a stretcher, Nurse Kelly could only gaze at them in a mixture of shock and awe, before gasping at the crowd of friends and family that quickly hurried out of the TARDIS after them.

The Doctor could see how bewildered she was, and gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry about this Nurse Kelly. I know you only saw us yesterday in your time, but for us, a lot of time has passed. Wibbly wobbley, timey-wimey, and all that jazz. Are you ready to deliver a Time Lord? Splendid."

Nurse Kelly could only blink back at him, lost for words, and River rolled her eyes, knowing the Doctor's words hadn't reassured her in the slightest. "He meant to ask that politely, I assure you." She said dryly. "He's just a bit distracted, Amy is in labour after all. Would you be able to see to them now, Mariana?"

"How do you know my name?" were the first words to leave Nurse Kelly's mouth, and River winced a little, silently cursing her own stupidity for revealing how well she knew the Nurse in _her_ time.

Before she could reply however, the Doctor quickly cut in. "We'll explain later. Right now, we have more important things to attend to, like my fiery, Scottish wife. Ignore my daughter and everything else she says from now on. Now, can we-"

"_Daughter_?" Amy cried in astonishment, gazing over at River. "As in...the one in my-"

"-No. I'm adopted." River shot her a toothy grin. "Hi Mother."

Amy would have collapsed if she'd been standing, and the Doctor could sense how close she was to losing it, especially because of the stress she was enduring currently. "Nurse Kelly...help...now!" He managed, the weight of Amy's emotions straining him.

Nurse Kelly shook her head, as if to clear it, and then launched straight into her work mode. "Right, I'll need to quickly examine Amy, just to see how far along in the labour process she is. Your friends and family will need to stay here though...or they can wait in the waiting room if they'd pre-"

"-We'll wait here." Jack said, cutting her off as he settled down on the recliner in the office. "Good luck Amy!"

Smiling weakly, Amy managed to give him and the rest of her family and friends a half-hearted wave as the Doctor followed Nurse Kelly out of the office. Their heart-felt wishes, as appreciated as they were, did nothing to ease the pain she was feeling in her womb, and now her lower back.

~I~

Once they'd found an empty ward, the Doctor helped Amy get dressed into her hospital gown, now accepting that she needed all of the help she could get. After she was sitting in a comfortable position on the hospital bed, Nurse Kelly asked her a couple of questions, before examining her, only to see that she was almost dilated enough to give birth.

"Amy, didn't you say that you'd only been in labour for twenty minutes, at most?" Nurse Kelly asked her, stunned. She certainly hadn't been expecting to deliver their Time Lord baby today...let alone in the next hour!

"Yeah, my waters broke in the TARDIS but..." Amy then had to trail off as another piercing contraction struck her. She just about managed to grit her teeth to stop herself from crying out as she gripped the Doctor's hands tightly.

Moments later, she was ready to continue, the pain vanishing as quickly as it appeared. "I felt a weird kind of pressure when I left the Pandorica...long story...but that was at least a day and a half before I started getting contractions." She admitted quietly, avoiding the Doctor's gaze as she spoke, knowing that he'd be looking at her in horror...and maybe in a bit of anger too.

She was right. "You felt like this in the museum, and you didn't tell me?" He demanded, and his frustration ignited her own.

"Yes, because you were _dying_! You were my first priority, and I didn't think I was in labour at the time!" Amy snapped back, which made the Doctor purse his lips.

However, he didn't argue back, knowing this wasn't the time or the place, so he settled for shaking his head slightly before turning his attention to Nurse Kelly.

"So, now what?" He asked her, and she smiled kindly at him.

"Now we get ready to welcome your baby into the World. There are some scrubs for you in the cupboard beside you, Doctor. I'll leave you both alone now while I inform your friends and family that we're taking you into the delivery ward, but I'll be back in a few minutes."

With that, Nurse Kelly swept out of the room, leaving Amy and the Doctor gazing at each other in mutual bewilderment. Neither of them spoke for a few moments.

Silently, the Doctor rose up from his perch beside Amy, and began to dress himself in the scrubs, his hands trembling, which didn't escape Amy's notice.

"Don't be nervous. We can't both be nervous." She whispered, biting at her cuticles, and the Doctor quickly resumed his position beside her to pull her hand away from her mouth.

"I don't think it's nerves...more...anticipation." He said quietly, lacing his fingers through hers.

Amy would have replied, but she was hit by another contraction, and the Doctor could only murmur reassuringly and hold onto her as she gasped for breath.

When it passed, Amy closed her eyes, and rested her head on the Doctor's shoulder. "Do you reckon they'll give me something for the pain?" She asked weakly.

"And you're asking _me_?" She heard him snort, and she couldn't help but smile.

"You are the Doctor, after all." She murmured, and the Doctor kissed the top of her head affectionately.

"Of course, but questions like that are a bit beyond my expertise."

"I'm glad you can finally admit that you don't know everything." Amy responded, giggling when the Doctor sighed in mock-exasperation.

"So not true, but we'll discuss this further when you're not in labour, Pond." He went to kiss her forehead again, but Amy quickly tilted her head, and his lips met hers instead. Not that the Doctor was complaining about that.

The door to their room suddenly opened, and the Doctor was the one to break their kiss, giving Nurse Kelly his second sheepish smile of the day. "We're ready." He said, and Amy scowled beside him.

"You may be, but I'm bloody not!" She hissed, as Nurse Kelly approached them, dressed in scrubs of her own.

"Most new mothers feel like this. You'll be fine Amy, trust me." She assured her, before leaning down and unlocking the wheels of the bed. "Now, I'm going to take you into the delivery room. My team are ready for us."

"Whoop-de-do." Amy mumbled, wincing as another contraction hit her...and then another. The Doctor felt the echo of her pain, and quickly reached out to grab her hand again, not letting go of her even when Nurse Kelly began to wheel Amy out of the room.

The delivery room was only a couple of wards down from the examination room they'd been in, which relieved Amy. Now that her contractions were so close together, she was feeling _almost_ ready to deliver her daughter. The Doctor sensed her fierce determination, and felt a swell of pride rise up inside of him.

Once Nurse Kelly's team had propped Amy up in the right position, they began to monitor her contractions, waiting for the right moment to begin delivery.

Amy wished they'd hurry up though, because her contractions were causing her to start sweating, and she'd already shed a few tears in the few minutes they'd been inside the delivery room.

She was in too much pain to ask for medication to help with how she was feeling, but she managed to communicate with the Doctor through their psychic link, and he asked Nurse Kelly on her behalf.

But to the horror of them both, Amy was too far into labour to have medication given to her now. She wasn't even allowed gas and air. Nurse Kelly quickly assured them that the delivery wouldn't be as difficult if she and the baby had been human, because the Time Energy would protect and heal the both of them. However, that did nothing to reassure Amy.

All too soon, Nurse Kelly began to count Amy in, preparing her for when she had to get ready to push.

Amy could feel the tension building inside of her, and she could feel the intensity of her daughter in her womb, ready to enter the world, but she was still terrified. "I'm scared Doctor. Properly, _properly_ scared." She sobbed, gazing up at him, panicked.

The Doctor tried to smile as reassuringly as he could, and he leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. "Don't be scared. Be magnificent." He whispered, leaning back and kissing the tip of her nose.

"Are you ready Amy?" Nurse Kelly called, and Amy hastily blinked away her tears. "In three..."

Amy met the Doctor's gaze, and allowed his strong fortitude to influence her, calming her down somewhat.

"...Two..."

The Doctor squeezed her hand tightly, silently reminding her that she had him to lean on.

"...One!"

Amy closed her eyes, and pushed with all of her might. Oh, how she pushed. It took all of her strength, all of her resolve, and nearly breaking the Doctor's hand in the process, but she was doing it.

Time seemed to quicken then, at least for her. She was lost in a blur of Nurse Kelly's counting, her own cries and gasps, and the Doctor's rousing words of encouragement.

And then finally, what she needed to hear.

"Amy, I can see the head! Now you really need to push, as hard as you can, okay! One last time!"

"You've got this Amy." The Doctor murmured in her ear, now rubbing her back with his other hand. "Our daughter's nearly here! Come along, Pond!"

Clamping her eyes shut, and using both the Doctor's hand and the frame of the bed to hold onto, Amy used the last remnants of her energy to push as hard as she could, crying out as she did so.

The Doctor gasped loudly beside her, and as the sound of a high-pitched cry filled the air, along with hushed congratulations from Nurse Kelly, Amy opened her eyes slowly, to see a small, baby being lifted up into the air, covered in blood.

It was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. That was her crying baby. Hers and the Doctor's. _Theirs_.

_Ours. _The Doctor gazed over at her, nothing but love and adoration glimmering in his timeless eyes. He wanted to cry. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to sweep Amy into his arms and kiss her senseless. Emotion was overflowing him, but all he could do was gaze into her eyes, completely and utterly in love.

Nurse Kelly quietly asked him if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord, and he did so, his hands trembling no more. Amy could only beam at the sight, and once it was done, she reached out for her daughter, not caring that she hadn't been bathed yet. "Can I...can I hold her?" She asked hoarsely, and Nurse Kelly smiled.

"Of course. Only for a minute though, I need to bathe her, and you need to do the after birth still." She replied, before gently placing the small baby in Amy's awaiting arms.

Amy barely heard her though, completely mesmerised by the amazing creation she was holding. "Hey you." She whispered. She felt the Doctor lean over, and he tenderly held one of their daughter's balled fists in his own.

"Gotcha." He murmured, and then he leaned down to kiss the top of the baby's head lightly.

And then to their surprise - and delight - their daughter opened her blue eyes, clouded with shades of grey, and Amy knew then they'd resemble the Doctor's.

"My eyes...and your auburn hair. Magnificent." The Doctor said softly, wiping away some of the blood from the top of their baby's head.

"Magnificent." Amy echoed, her eyes brimming with tears again. All of the pain she'd just endured, and all of the heartache her and the Doctor had suffered through the years had led them to this moment, and now, she couldn't regret it, or feel saddened by it. Because it had led them to _this_. Their daughter had been the light at the end of the darkness. And she was worth all of it.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over them, and Nurse Kelly gave them a sad smile. "Time's up." She said quietly, and Amy reluctantly passed her their daughter.

"Bring her back soon!" She called weakly as Nurse Kelly handed her to another Nurse, who then took her out of the room.

"We'll bring her to you when she's bathed, and when you're resting in your own ward." Nurse Kelly told her, approaching them again, this time holding a needle.

Amy immediately flinched away from her. "What the hell is that thing?" She demanded, knowing that she wouldn't be able to endure much more pain. She was emotionally and physically shattered.

"Injection to get the placenta out. It won't hurt, I promise, and we'll perform the afterbirth as quickly as possible." Nurse Kelly explained, and Amy reluctantly offered her arm to her, allowing her to inject the needle into her skin. "You can lay down on your back if you'd like, but leave your legs in the position they're in at the moment."

Amy did just that, once Nurse Kelly had removed the needle. Fortunately, she couldn't feel the afterbirth, and from her position, couldn't see it either.

The Doctor couldn't either, unable to tear his gaze away from Amy's. He was in awe of her, so much that he'd barely been able to speak since their daughter had entered the world.

Beaming, he leaned forward so that he was hovering over her, and Amy quickly reached up to take his hand again. "We did it." She murmured tiredly, the position she was in making her more exhausted.

With his remaining hand, the Doctor tenderly cradled her face, his thumb lightly tracing the contour of her lips. "Thank you for giving me a family again." He whispered, and Amy's face lit up, her fatigue now pushed to the back of her mind.

"Back at you." She replied quietly, and the Doctor covered her mouth with his, pouring all of his emotions into the kiss. It was the only way that he could communicate how he was feeling, words still not powerful enough to explain how euphoric he felt.

~I~

Shortly after the birth, Amy was wheeled into a ward, which the Doctor and her had to themselves. Neither of them was ready to share their good news with their family and friends, at least, not before they'd spent some time with their daughter first. So the Doctor had helped her get dressed into another hospital gown, changed out of his scrubs, and then helped Amy into bed.

Next, he'd gone to sit down on one of the chairs beside Amy's bed, but she reached out and fisted her hand in his tweed jacket. "What do you think you're doing?" She growled, and the Doctor blinked at her. "I'm not having you sit that far away from me. Get in the bed with me. Now."

Her tone of voice meant that there was no room for disagreement, so the Doctor sat down on the bed, choosing to stay above the covers, his back propped up against the headboard. Amy decided his chest was a far comfier alternative, and leaned into him instead.

They didn't have to wait long to see their daughter. Nurse Kelly came in a couple of minutes later, a pink blanketed bundle in her arms, and the Doctor could see a crown of auburn hair peeking out of the top. "Here you go." She murmured, lowering their daughter into Amy's embrace, before backing out of the room, leaving the new parents alone.

Beaming, Amy cradled their daughter closer to her chest. "Oh Doctor, she's beautiful." She whispered, awed.

The Doctor tilted his head to the side slightly, and then grinned. "She thinks you're beautiful too. She thinks I am as well, but I have to say I prefer the term, 'handsome', little one."

"Madeleine." The name slipped out from Amy's mouth instantly, remembering the dream she'd had when her and the Doctor first began their relationship, about them and their future daughter in a park together. "Her name's Madeleine."

"Madeleine Pond." The Doctor said fondly, addressing their daughter. "What do you think? Yay or nay?"

Madeleine blinked slowly up at him, and the Doctor's smile widened. "Welcome to the World...no...the _Universe_, Madeleine Pond. Name of a Superhero there."

"Our superhero." Amy murmured, gathering Madeleine closer to her chest, and the Doctor nodded his agreement.

"Quite right. Good..." He trailed off suddenly, and then his eyebrows rose slightly. "What's that? You like the smell of your Mother? I've never really sniffed her myself. Maybe I should give it a go."

Before Amy could even react to his words, the Doctor buried his face in her tangled, auburn hair, and inhaled deeply. "You're right. She does smell nice." He confirmed to Madeleine, pulling back to grin down at her.

"What...what are you doing?" Amy asked him, astounded.

"Talking to our daughter. I speak baby, you see. Never thought it would come in handy till now."

"_Really_?"

"I speak everything, don't I, Madeleine Pond?" The Doctor cooed, laughing when Madeleine blinked again. "Yeah, you get me."

"I don't think I've ever been so much in love with you." Amy whispered, her voice choked, overwhelmed by so many emotions. They mostly ranged from love to wonder, to admiration.

Beaming in response, the Doctor pressed his lips to hers in a sweet, meaningful kiss, only to pull back moments later to tap Madeleine lightly on the nose. "Yes, I know that you'd like to think that we're both yours, but your Mother is mine too. It's called sharing."

Amy laughed out loud at that, thrilled that their daughter was already so alike to them. The Doctor's words also reminded her of something, and she shifted slightly, moving Madeleine towards him. "Speaking of that, here. Your turn."

The Doctor took Madeleine into his arms with ease, holding her so naturally that the sight warmed Amy's heart. She'd never felt so at peace, so content.

And then a thought struck her out of the blue, and she couldn't help but chuckle to herself at the question she found herself suddenly needing to ask the Doctor. That question after all, had gotten them to this point in time, so _of course_ she needed to ask it.

"So Doctor, how would you rate her out of ten?" Amy asked him gently, laughing in delight at the surprise in the Doctor's expression, before his face lit up.

Only one number came to his mind. It was the most important one, after all.

"A magnificent...eleven."

* * *

***Blubbing like a baby***

**I can't believe it's over. Sitting here with waterfalls gushing down my cheeks. You have no idea how much I have put into this story - it became my life, even when I neglected it a couple of times. And even when I wasn't writing, I could see Amy and the Doctor and future chapters in my head, like a frickin' film that I can't stop. And they're still nattering on now, demanding that this shouldn't be the end.**

**And you know how pushy they can be. SO. This isn't the end. **

**I'll post another story in this Ratings out of Ten Universe...and I'd love to say that it's a sequel to this story. Well, it is in a way. Think of it as more of a set of future outtakes with a few major plotlines thrown in. How can I NOT include some of the Series 6 storylines? Anyone want to see the Doctor infatuated with the Siren onboard a Pirate Ship and Amy being angry with him? I know you do ;) I also want to explore River's character a bit more...and I want to see how deeper Amy and the Doctor's relationship can go. They will be together for a long time...so a lot can happen! What on Earth will they get up to?**

**It'll be called 'Ratings out of Ten : The Future'...or something like that. Haha! So imaginative, I know.**

**Anyhow...gah! Oh guys. Don't want to stop writing this Author's Note. 'Cause then it will feel like the end. Even though it's really not. **

**COME ON HAYLEY. MAN UP.**

**Right. I manned up. I'm leaving, and I leave you with a billion hugs and kisses. 'Cause I fucking love you all. Every person who put this story on alert and on their favourites, every person who reviewed, and I _especially _lovethe reviewers that I got to know a bit more personally :) **

**Alas, this isn't really goodbye. I have a ton of 11/Amy stories in the pipeline, along with the sequel(ish) to this fanfic piece. And when I move out in September, I'll only be busy with work and Uni...what...three days a week? I wonder what I'll spend the majority of those four days doing...*cough* writing non-stop *cough*.**

**Adios, my loves!**

**Till next time,**

**Hayley xoxox**

**p.s Notice that I ended the story how it started? Who knew that a small story (that was supposed to only be about 10 chapters) would become this _beast_? Certainly not me!**


	69. SEQUEL

Hi all!

Just thought I'd let my faithful readers know that the beginning of the sequel to this story has been uploaded! Check out 'The Weight of Us' on my profile.

I promise to reply to all messages and reviews ASAP!

Oh...and Merry Christmas!

Hayley x


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